


Mix Up

by Racey



Category: Hajime no Ippo | Fighting Spirit
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-16
Updated: 2020-01-16
Packaged: 2021-02-27 03:40:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 26,128
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22280455
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Racey/pseuds/Racey
Summary: Otowa High belongs to the delinquents. Otowa Prep belongs to the normal students, focused on their studies and club activities. Sendo Takeshi is the king of Otowa High, while Makunouchi Ippo is just another "Preppy" from Otowa Prep. When an encounter with a group of delinquents goes wrong for Ippo, Sendo comes to his rescue.
Relationships: Makunouchi Ippo/Sendou Takeshi
Comments: 1
Kudos: 10





	1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Hajime no Ippo...

Onwards...

XOXOXO

The grass was soft and comfortable as Ippo reclined on his back in the open field beside the high school he attended. He had his arms behind his head and his eyes on the endless blue sky. He'd decided to skip lunch, opting to take a break at his personal hideaway. No one really came out into the field, not even the delinquents from the neighboring high school. Ippo cringed as he thought about the rough and brash students from Otowa High, who were always itching for a fight. He was glad he attended Otowa Prep, which was strictly for what most would call the "regular" students, who wanted to learn and didn't have fighting on the brain twenty-four hours of the day. He was _glad_ , but it wasn't as if it made much of a difference which school he attended since the delinquent school was a mere fifty meters away from his own.

Ippo sighed and closed his eyes, enjoying the warmth of the sun washing over his face. He had a feeling that his handful of friends were looking for him since he'd disappeared without notice, but he hoped they wouldn't mind. Miyata-kun probably would; he always did. He was so temperamental, but he was also Ippo's best friend. He had his good points too. Ippo grinned as he thought of his small, rag-tag group of friends. There was Umezawa-kun, who was a third-year student and a mangaka hopeful; there was Kobashi-san, who was also a third-year student, but who wanted to be an investigative reporter; and lastly, there was Kumi-san. He blushed a little. He knew the brunette had a crush on him, but what could he tell her? She was a nice girl, but he wasn't interested.

"Well, well, if it ain't a _Preppy_."

Ippo's eyes flew open. He lay there, heart racing as he heard a rough voice speaking from directly behind him. Why the hell was a delinquent around here? They never came out to the field. Ippo slowly sat up and gathered his school bag before carefully climbing to his feet. He didn't want to make any sudden movements that might set the guy off. Once he was standing, he glanced around and was dismayed to find that he was being surrounded by at least five guys.

 _Shit_.

He nervously straightened his tie and the sleeves of his white, short-sleeved school shirt. What was he supposed to do? Maybe if he just apologized for being there, they would let him leave with his hide still in tact.

"Um," he started. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to trespass."

The leader of the group who'd spoken first, spoke up again. He had on the dark, high-collared uniform of Otowa High, as did the others, and his hair was pulled back in a long, silver pony-tail. Red-framed shades hid his eyes, but Ippo was sure they were aimed right at him. He shifted uncomfortably as the guy smirked.

"Awww, he's groveling. Think we should let 'im go?"

The group tittered and a few even started cracking their knuckles. Ippo felt sweat gathering at the nape of his neck, along his brow and above his top lip. This was so bad. He'd never had an encounter with any delinquents, and he kind of wanted to keep it that way. He wanted to press the issue that he hadn't come there intending to start any trouble, but figured from the looks on the delinquents' faces, it wasn't such a good idea. So, he shifted some more and remained silent.

A delinquent to his left chuckled and took a couple of steps forward. "I say we pound 'im, Kugo."

The leader (Kugo, Ippo was assuming) also took a few steps forward and cracked his knuckles.

"I think I agree witcha, Kyosuke. This here's easy prey. Ain't no way I c'n overlook it."

Ippo's heart rate spiked, but before he could do anything more than open his mouth to protest, he was hit from behind. He stumbled forward, his bag swinging on his shoulder and throwing off his balance even more. He tried to ignore the pounding at the base of his skull in order to protect himself, but was knocked to the ground. He fell on his face, but had enough sense to cover his head and face as the delinquents swarmed him, legs and feet everywhere. He had his eyes squeezed shut as he was kicked in the ribs, stomach and legs. His head caught a few shots even though he had his arms around it. He was being overwhelmed, and since no one knew where he was, he wouldn't be surprised if the delinquents killed him. From the way they were kicking him, he had a feeling that that was exactly what would happen. He wanted to yell for help, but refused to show any weakness to the idiots mobbing him.

A sharp kick slipped through his arms and connected with his face, splitting his lip and crushing his nose. He didn't think it was broken, but the pain was intense enough to cause his eyes to tear up. He gritted his teeth and curled up into a ball. Maybe that would make it harder for the feet coming at him to explode through his defenses. His head was throbbing, and his body was damned near numb from the pain wracking it, but he still hung onto his consciousness. Just when he was beginning to think the beating would never cease, he heard an aggressive tenor call out over the scuffling.

"Oi! The fuck're you guys doin'?"

All action came to an abrupt halt as the attacking delinquents turned to the new person on the scene. Ippo didn't recognize the boy speaking, but hoped maybe he belonged to the student council or someone that would help him out of his sticky situation.

"Huuuuuuh? Who wants ta know?" Kugo snapped.

Ippo peered from beneath his arms and spied a short kid with ink-dark hair and light-blue eyes. He had his arms folded across his chest, scowl fierce and accusing. Who was that?

"Boss don' like scum like you on his turf," the dark-haired boy said before spitting. "Ya might wanna move along."

Kugo grinned and cocked his head to the side. "Heh. Why should I be scared a'yer boss?"

"'Cuz ya don' wanna get yer ass kicked, that's why."

Even though the boy wore the Otowa High uniform, Ippo's eyes still widened at the curt tone. Didn't the boy realize that he was outnumbered? He tried to lift his head and his vision swam out of focus, making it crash back to the ground. No matter how hard he tried, he felt himself slipping away, darkness creeping around the edges of his sight. That was when he saw another boy approaching, hands in the pants pockets of his dark Otowa high uniform. He had messy, brown hair, but that was all Ippo was able to see before his eyes slid shut. A moment later, he heard a new voice added to the commotion.

"Wha's this shit?"

The boy with blue eyes answered the newcomer. "Jus' a bunch a'dumbasses, Boss. Nothin' serious."

Ippo heard feet shuffling before Kugo spoke up, voice wavering. "Sh-shit! I didn' know this was yer turf!"

"Guess it's a little late for that, eh?" the newcomer said, voice deep and threatening.

But that was all Ippo remembered before everything went dark.

**XxxxxxX**

Before he even opened his eyes, the pain made him cringe and wince. His entire body felt like a boxing club member had used him as a sandbag. His stomach felt like tenderized beef, and his head felt like an elephant had sat on it.

"Owww," he groaned.

"Ah! Makunouchi-kun!"

He knew that voice. "Kumi-san?" he mumbled, eyes still closed.

"Yes! Are you OK, Makunouchi-kun?"

Ippo groaned again. "I don't know. I guess so since I'm still alive."

If Kumi-san was there, then he had to be on friendly ground again. Thank goodness. He dragged his eyelids apart, squinting at the bright fluorescent light above him. Where was he? Once his vision came into focus, a few concerned faces floated before him.

"Umezawa-san, Miyata-kun, Kobashi-san. What happened?"

No one spoke for a long few moments. Ippo searched their faces and realized that not only were they concerned, but they seemed shocked as well.

"Um, you guys? What happened? Is it my face?"

His friends exchanged glances with one another before turning back to Ippo. Finally, Miyata-kun spoke up.

"You were jumped by Otowa High. What the hell were you doing over there?"

Ippo blushed as he averted his eyes. "I was, um...relaxing. I go there to be alone."

"At Otowa High?!" Umezawa-san squeaked. "What the hell were you thinking?"

"Well, no one usually goes to the field there, so I figured it would be OK."

Miyata-kun smacked his forehead and sucked his teeth. "Stupid," he grumbled. "It's still Otowa High property."

Ippo looked at his friends again, but still couldn't help thinking that there was more to the story. They seemed a bit shell-shocked. Especially Kobashi-san.

"K-Kobashi-san. Is there something else bothering you?" he asked.

Kobashi-san's eyes grew enormous as all gazes were directed at him. He chuckled nervously and rubbed the back of his head before blowing out a deep breath in resignation.

"I'm sure everyone's thinking the same thing I am; they just don't want to say it."

Ippo gingerly sat up, regretting the movement almost instantly, but as he did so, he noticed a dark jacket draped over his shoulders. He froze, speechless as he recognized the jacket as being part of the Otowa High uniform. Whose could it be?

"How did I get here?" he blurted when it seemed like no one was going to talk. "I remember passing out after those guys beat me up, but that's about it. Did one of you find me?"

They all exchanged glances again, but this time the looks passed around were clearly uneasy. It was Umezawa-san that spoke up, however.

"Ippo...we didn't find you. You were brought here."

"Eh?" Ippo noised. "By who?"

Umezawa-san chuckled and rubbed the tip of his nose, a habit he had whenever he was nervous about something. After a few silent beats, he locked eyes with Ippo, more serious than Ippo had ever seen him in the couple of short years he'd known him.

" _The_ Sendo Takeshi."

The silence in the room was profound. Ippo had heard stories of the legendary third-year student at Otowa High, but he'd never actually seen the guy himself. Sendo Takeshi was rumored to be the toughest, strongest delinquent in the school. He was at the top of the food chain. Ippo had heard that Sendo had once defeated an entire group of fifty delinquents. He didn't know if that was true, or just a myth that had been created to make the boy stronger than he really was. Whatever the case, no one doubted it, and it left the guy in charge of Otowa High.

"W-what?" he stuttered. "That's not true."

Miyata-kun arched a brow and smirked. "You calling us liars now? We know what we saw."

Ippo's heart almost stopped. Why? Just the thought of being in the same vicinity of the Naniwa Tiger had his heart hiccuping and his blood cold as ice.

"You _saw_ him? What did he look like? Was he mean? Did anyone get hurt?"

He had so many questions!

"Calm down, Ippo," Kobashi-san chortled.

Umezawa-san sat forward in his seat beside Ippo's bed, eyes alight with excitement. "I'd never seen the kid before because he's got so many freakin' underlings, but he wasn't what I was expectin'."

"What do you mean?" Ippo asked.

"Well-" Umezawa-san started.

"He's not as scary as everyone thought. In fact...he's kind of an idiot," Miyata-kun interrupted.

Ippo paused before making a disbelieving face. "I don't believe that. Why would you call him an idiot, Miyata-kun?"

Miyata-kun exchanged glances with the rest of the group, a slow, wicked grin lifting the corner of his mouth. Kumi-san blushed and smiled with a slightly arched brow.

"He's..." Kobashi-san said, waving his hands in the air. "A little silly, maybe, but he's damned sure scary. You remember how he looked when he walked in here?" he asked, turning his gaze to Miyata-kun. "There were a bunch of students trailing behind him, whispering and pointing at his uniform, and he looked like he would've killed them if he hadn't been carrying Ippo."

" _Carrying me_?! What do you mean?!"

Ippo was horrified. He'd never been carried before, and he hadn't really planned on it, either. Now, not only did he apparently owe his life to the head delinquent of Otowa High, but he owed the guy an apology as well. He never would have subjected another male to something so humiliating.

"Jeez, you're slower than usual today," Miyata-kun grumbled. " _He_ didn't care about that, so why should _you_? How else was he going to get you here?"

Miyata-kun was right, but it didn't lessen the sting of mortification. Ippo closed his eyes and lifted a hand to press it to his forehead, when it got caught under the hem of the dark jacket around his shoulders. Face flushing, he lowered his hand and eyes to the bed he was seated on.

"Is this his?"

"Yup!" Umezawa-san answered proudly and far too happily for Ippo's taste.

"Uwahhhh," Ippo groaned and tried to hide his face with his hands, when he realized his left arm was bandaged from his fingers to his elbows. "What's this?" he yelped.

"Yamaguchi-sensei said your wrist was sprained," Kumi-san said quietly.

Ippo didn't know what to do first, but settled with lifting his uninjured arm to his head. A large bandage was wrapped around it. He sighed. This had officially turned into a bad day.

"Aww, don't look so sad, Ippo," Umezawa-san soothed. "At least you're still alive!"

"Shut up, stupid," Miyata-kun drawled before turning to Kobashi-san. "I'll help this guy home. Can you grab his homework and meet us at his house?"

Kobashi-san nodded, climbed to his feet and took off towards the door. Kumi-san glanced down at her watch and turned as pale as the moon.

"I-I have to get home. Brother will be there soon, and he'll be hungry. See you guys later," she said before jumping up and leaving as well.

Umezawa-san shrugged and stood up. "I guess I can help you get the cripple home," he announced.

Ippo scowled at that. Just because he was sore all over and still in a state of shock, it didn't mean he couldn't get himself home safely. But then, he noticed the looks on Umezawa-san's and Miyata-kun's faces and realized that their company had nothing to do with helping him home. It had everything to do with making sure he made it home without getting jumped again. He nodded and slowly swung his legs over the side of the bed. When he stood, the room tilted and made him grab the air to catch his balance. Unfortunately, it didn't work, but luckily, Miyata-kun was there to steady him.

They inched towards the infirmary entrance and Ippo caught a whiff of an unfamiliar scent. It was wild but welcoming. He turned his head to the side discreetly and sniffed. So, it was the jacket. He smiled a little. To think the most dangerous delinquent of Otowa High had been nice enough to get him out of that horrible scrape. As he, Miyata-kun and Umezawa-san made their way to his home, a thought occurred to him. He had to thank Sendo-san for his kindness.

And return his jacket.

**XxxxxxX**

It was once again time for lunch the next day, but Ippo was finding it hard to get away from his group of friends. He was wearing the school uniform of white, short-sleeved, button-up shirt, gray tie and gray slacks, but his left arm was still bandaged. So was his head, but he figured it was better than being an invalid for several days at a time.

However, that was neither here nor there.

He was stuck in the middle of his friends, trying to come up with a way to distract them so he could run over to Otowa High and find Sendo-san. All night he'd thought of the delinquent teen who'd saved him. He was trying to put an image to the name, but could only remember sable-brown hair and a deep voice. He blushed. If that had been Sendo-san, his voice was really nice. It was aggressive and strong, just like his reputation.

They were on the side of Otowa Prep, where most of the students congregated for lunch and sometimes to cut classes. Each one of Ippo's friends had either a brown paper bag or a bento in front of them. They weren't really paying attention to him, but that didn't mean he was free to make any sudden moves. He'd been accompanied by at least _one_ of his friends the entire day, starting from the moment he'd left his home. He supposed he could understand why they were being so overprotective, but with the plan he'd devised in his mind, their closeness was becoming a hindrance. He sighed and studied the bento his mom had packed for him. It looked as delicious as it always did, but his mind was stuck on the brunet teenager who'd saved his life.

He looked up and spotted a familiar face walking by. The boy was a foreign exchange student from Russia with flame-red hair and sky-blue eyes. His name was Volg-san, and he was precisely who Ippo needed in order to get from under the watchful eyes of his friends. He jumped to his feet and was instantly surrounded. Miyata-kun, Kobashi-san, Umezawa-san and Kumi-san were all standing as well and looking at him while wearing deep frowns.

 _Jeez_.

"Eh-heh. I'm just going to say hi to my friend, Volg-san over there," he said, finger pointed in the red head's direction.

They all turned in Volg-san's direction, and Ippo made his escape. He grabbed his uneaten food and dashed over to the red head, heart pounding. He hoped this worked. Once he skidded to a walk beside Volg-san, the third-year student glanced over at him in shock before recognition hit him and made him smile.

"Ah! Makunouchi!"

"Volg-san, hi! Can I walk with you for a second?" Ippo asked as he peered nervously over his shoulder.

Luckily, none of his friends were following him, but Miyata-kun watched him with narrowed, dark eyes. Ippo had a feeling he would be grilled later on, but right now, he had a master scheme to unfold.

"Sure. Where are you headed?"

Volg-san's accent was completely endearing. Even though he had a good grasp of Japanese, he still fumbled here and there with it.

"I'm going to the bridge."

Volg-san arched a dark eyebrow and gave Ippo an incredulous look. "Are you sure about that? You look like you've already been across that bridge."

Ippo chuckled. He knew Volg-san would understand when he said he was going to the bridge. The bridge referred to the long, window-lined corridor that led from Otowa Prep into Otowa High – the only way to gain access to the delinquent school directly from Otowa Prep.

"I'm sure. I have something to do there."

Volg-san didn't seem convinced, if his expression was any indication. However, he remained silent after giving a slow nod.

"I'll be fine," Ippo continued.

He didn't know whether he was trying to reassure Volg-san or _himself_.

They entered the school and headed for the main building, students creating a wide path for the two boys. Ippo frowned, wondering what was going on, when he remembered that Volg-san was the boxing club's champion. He'd won the title all three years in a row, so it was no wonder that the rest of the population stayed out of his way. Ippo kept shooting the slightly taller boy furtive glances from the corner of his eye. Volg-san was quieter than usual today. Whenever he and Ippo hung out, the red head was talkative and animated. Today was different. Ippo cleared his throat and hesitated only a moment before speaking.

"Volg-san, is everything alright with you?"

Volg-san jolted like Ippo had just tripped him before turning wide, luminous blue eyes in Ippo's direction. "Huh?"

"You seem distracted. Are you OK?"

Volg-san frowned a little as he faced forward again. "I'm fine. I was just thinking."

Ippo didn't want to intrude or seem like he was prying, but he hated seeing a friend looking that way. If Volg-san was depressed or upset, Ippo wanted to help. But how could he further inquire without seeming like a nosy pest? Just as he decided to say to hell with it and go for it, they approached the intersection that turned into the bridge. Ippo paused, feeling like he was standing at the mouth of a dark, yawning cave. Volg-san stopped with him and gave him a look that spoke volumes of how he really felt about Ippo traveling over to enemy territory. The red head placed a hand on Ippo's shoulder and nodded.

"Be careful, Makunouchi."

Ippo nodded in return and squared his shoulders. A quick breath later, and he was walking across the bridge, heart beating so fast, it was nearly vibrating. His palms were clammy and sweaty, and his armpits were itchy with anxiety. He didn't know what to expect, didn't even know where he was going to start his search for his brown-haired savior, but he'd made up his mind to find the elusive and notorious Sendo Takeshi, so that was what he planned to do. He had the boy's school jacket wrapped around his waist so he wouldn't have to carry it, and so it wouldn't hamper him in case he ran into trouble.

At first glance, the bridge hadn't seemed so long, but now it felt like it stretched on for miles. The hall was long and quiet, devoid of students of either school, and Ippo was able to hear every last one of his footsteps landing against the cold, hard linoleum. He'd give anything to have a companion with him. The thought prompted him to look over his shoulder for Volg-san, but the red head had already moved on. Ippo faced forward again, shoulders sagging with disappointment. It would have been nice to have someone there to watch his back, but he knew if he'd asked his other friends, they never would have let him leave the side of the building where they were eating lunch.

He took a deep breath and forged forward, apprehension spiking at the sight of the drastic change in atmosphere ahead of him. The walls of Otowa High were cracked, chipped and peeling and covered with graffiti, and the floor sported a thick blanket of grime and dirt. The windows in the hall were broken, and Ippo assumed the authorities just never bothered to replace them. The only light in the place came from the windows, all the artificial bulbs shattered, the destroyed fixtures hanging from the ceiling. The aura gave Ippo the urge to run and grab a bat or a pipe. _Anything_ that would give him a slight advantage over any potential threats.

He'd just made it around the first corner, when a tall teenager with ridiculous eyebrows and dark, narrowed eyes made him freeze in his tracks. It was like the other boy's gaze alone had pinned his feet to the floor, making it impossible for him to move an inch. The guy moved forward, followed by a couple of other smirking teenagers. Ippo swallowed harshly, cursing his awful luck. What were the chances that he'd turn down the first corner and run smack into a group of delinquents looking for trouble? A small voice whispered in his mind, " _one hundred percent_."

He held up his hands and kept his eyes on all of the delinquents, having already learned from yesterday: take your eye off of even _one_ of them, and you could instantly become overwhelmed. The tall leader with the bushy brows kept moving forward, hands in the pockets of his pants. Ippo backed up a step, then remembered what he'd come to Otowa High for in the first place. He held his ground and lowered his hands, his face morphing into one of fierce determination.

 _I WILL find Sendo-san_.

The leader stopped moving and cocked his head to the side, amused smirk spreading his lips upward. "Ya look like yer ready ta be crushed. That what ya came here for?"

Ippo didn't even grace the guy with an answer. His eyes sharpened on one of the delinquents slithering closer from the left. The boy on the right was trying to close off the path that led down the hall and deeper into the school. That was when Ippo made his move. He didn't have time to stick around and be distracted by these idiots. The second he took a hasty step, the leader of the group twitched and reacted. He lunged at Ippo, ludicrously long arms shooting forward. Ippo almost lost his composure at the sight of those snake-like appendages headed right at him, but instead, he swatted them away and sidestepped the taller student.

Didn't matter.

One of those long arms followed him to the side and the boy's fist crashed into Ippo's jaw, shocking him into stillness. He had a brief lapse of common sense as he stared at the tall delinquent before he pushed himself into action again. He leaned forward and took off at a dead sprint, exploding through the other delinquents who had fallen in line behind the leader. Ippo pumped his legs and arms, not sure where he was going, and not caring the slightest. The delinquents were shouting and hot on his heels as he led them on a high-speed chase through the depressing halls of Otowa High.

"Get back here, ya lil shit!" one of them hollered.

Ippo spared a quick glance over his shoulder and wanted to grin. He was a lot faster than the delinquents, even the tall leader. They were about fifteen meters behind him, but he wouldn't get comfortable with the space between them. He turned two more corners and leaped two flights of stairs before he skidded to a stop at the entrance to another long hall. The sign on the wall read 3C, but that wasn't what'd grabbed his attention. It was the kid that he'd seen yesterday, who'd been calling Sendo-san "Boss." Well, him and a huge crowd of mean-looking thugs. Ippo swallowed again, heart still thudding behind his ribs. He was more than aware of the sound of the delinquents who'd been chasing him, moving in fast from behind. He looked around wildly. Was this the end of his rope?

The commotion made the boy with blue eyes look up from the craps game he'd been participating in. Those cold-looking eyes focused on Ippo and made him feel the urge to shudder. He didn't know what to do, but he had to get away from those delinquents that were chasing him. Maybe the boy would help him out since he'd been there when Sendo-san had helped him yesterday. It was worth a try. He took a step forward and was suddenly halted by a kendo stick to the side of his neck. Where in the world had that even come from? He slid a look to his right and immediately understood. He was standing next to the classroom window, and a boy (who looked more like a man; he had a mustache and everything) with dark-brown hair and coal-colored eyes had him held hostage.

"Whoa there, kid. Where ya goin'?" the boy asked.

His voice was deep and calm, but nonetheless dangerous. Ippo shifted his weight as he stared at the kendo stick from the corner of his eye. He hoped the boy wouldn't take offense to the question he planned to ask next, but he figured it was his only shot at finding Sendo-san.

"D-do you know where S-Sendo-san i-is?" he stuttered, too afraid to move.

The boy pressed the stick harder against Ippo's throat and gave a low hum. "Now why ya wanna know that, hm?"

"I-I just need to speak to him."

"Abouuut?" the boy coaxed with an amused lilt to his tone.

"U-um, I, uh-"

"There he is!"

Ippo almost swallowed his tongue. The delinquents that had been chasing him had finally caught up to him. He turned his head slightly and gave a panicked glance to the boy holding the kendo stick before he thrust upward with his right hand, knocking the stick out of the boy's grasp. The boy's eyes widened in surprise as he watched Ippo hoist himself over the window and into the classroom.

As soon he was inside, he was grabbed from several different directions and forced to stand still. His arms were held in place as he gave the classroom a quick sweep with his eyes. There were delinquents positioned all around the room, some seated on top of desks, while others held up the walls. They were either playing cards, craps or arm wrestling, but all of that had been put on hold with Ippo's sudden appearance. All eyes were on him as life seemed to suspend in midair. He was about to ask his question again, when the words died in his throat. His eyes had settled on a teen seated on top of a desk at the back of the classroom. The teen was staring at him, one eyebrow arched, and rich, brown eyes amused. He had untamed brown hair, and everything about him screamed danger.

Could it be?

Ippo just stared and stared until the spell was broken by the leader of the delinquents who'd been chasing him through the school.

"Oi, Sendo! Lemme take this kid off yer hands."

It was! He'd found him!

Sendo-san frowned and slowly climbed down from his perch before making his way over. His walk was measured but confident before he came to a stop right in front of Ippo. He was a little taller and a bit bulkier, making his demanding aura that much more potent. His eyes never left Ippo's as he stood over him, quietly studying him. After a few moments, his head listed to the side and he gave a full-blown predatory grin full of sharp canines and brilliant teeth.

"Can't stay outta trouble, huh, kid?"

Ippo felt a strange heat gathering in his gut as he watched the head delinquent of Otowa High move his mouth. His voice was deep and almost intimate. Ippo forced his sense to return as he shook himself. He snatched his arms away from the delinquents holding him back, garnering a small chorus of surprised exclamations. Amidst the shock, he stepped into the small space between himself and Sendo-san, and after maintaining eye contact for a bit, he bent into a low bow.

"Sendo-san!" When he returned to an upright position, Sendo-san was wearing a baffled expression. "I-I...I just wanted to thank you for yesterday." He stopped and unwrapped the boy's jacket from around his waist before holding it out to him. "A-and to give this back."

Sendo-san stared at Ippo like he'd asked for a kiss. Ippo didn't blame him. His actions probably _were_ a bit strange. Not only had he crossed enemy lines, but he'd stormed the enemy fort as well. All to express his thanks and to return an item of clothing. How stupid was he?

"Yer serious."

Ippo met his eyes timidly. He was nervous now that he'd accomplished what he'd set out to do. What was going to happen now? Would Sendo-san make fun of him and throw him to the wolves?

"Y-yes. Yes, I am."

"Heh! So, yer tellin' me ya came all the way up here jus' ta say thanks?"

"Yes."

Sendo-san took the jacket Ippo offered him and set it down on a desk behind him before giving Ippo his attention again.

"Well, this is new," he mumbled, eyes roving over Ippo and making him squirm uncomfortably.

There was something about Sendo-san's eyes that made him want to know more, made him want to stare all day. That, and they looked like they could be scary as hell.

"That all ya wanted?"

Ippo nodded at the brunet, inwardly praying that the teen would have mercy on him and not make him have to fend for himself against a school full of pissed off delinquents. Sendo-san watched him a while longer before he finally turned to the leader of the delinquents from earlier.

"Mashiba. Let 'im go."

Mashiba's eyes bulged, and his mouth opened and closed in stunned fury. "Wha'?"

"I said let 'im go," Sendo-san repeated, but this time his voice was lower, and his eyes were hard and narrow, the air around him all tense and commanding.

Ippo hid a shudder as he continued to watch the brunet delinquent. The other boy was fascinating to look at, and something about him called out to Ippo like a sinful temptation. Mashiba went quiet, but a vein in his forehead throbbed and stood out like a streak of lightning beneath his skin. Sendo-san turned back to Ippo and grinned, eyes going soft.

"Ya better get back ta class," he said.

Ippo nodded, too giddy to speak. He turned on his heel, not willing to question the brunet's kindness. He got three steps away before Sendo-san called out.

"Hey! Wha's yer name, kid?"

Ippo stopped and glanced over his shoulder long enough to state his name before he was out the door and running down the hall, back the way he'd come.

He didn't hear Sendo-san when he said, "Makunouchi, huh?"


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Hajime no Ippo...

Onwards...

XOXOXO

Sendo watched the Preppies file out of the building from his perch on the roof. He really couldn't stand them because they seemed to strut around with an air of superiority that rubbed him the wrong way. What made them better than him? What made them think they were fucking invincible, huh? No, he hated the Preppies. ...But there was one who intrigued him to no end. One who seemed to actually have balls. Sendo's eyes roved the pavement below, searching.

"I had a feelin' you'd be up here," a deep voice said from behind.

Sendo glanced over his shoulder at his best friend and smirked. "An' why's that?"

"'Cuz ya had that special look in yer eye after that kid left yesterday. Thought ya might wanna see 'im in his natural habitat."

Randy Boy Jr. AKA "Old Man" as Sendo called him, sauntered over to the high fence of the roof and leaned against it as he peered through the diamond shaped spaces. Sendo shrugged as he focused on the ground again.

"Maybe."

Randy stroked his neatly trimmed mustache before sighing and facing Sendo. "So whattaya want with this kid, anyway? Granted he's got a lot of balls for comin' ta Otowa High an' lookin' for ya...or maybe he's just crazy. Either way, he's got yer nose wide open. Why?"

"He's different."

"Wha'?"

"I said he's different. He didn' look at me like he wanted ta call the cops, and he didn' look like he was scared a'me either. He's different," Sendo ended, his voice going quiet.

Randy "hmph'ed" and went silent. Sendo, on the other hand, continued with his search. He wondered what the kid was like when he wasn't getting into scrapes with the delinquents of Otowa High.

 _Makunouchi Ippo, huh?_ Sendo inwardly mused. _He's cute_.

"Gahahahaha!" a boisterous voice bellowed from below, drawing Sendo's attention.

He saw a dark-haired kid running from the building, hand raised in the air and clutching what looked like packaged bread.

"Umezawa-saaaaaaaannn!" a more familiar voice scolded.

Sendo's ears twitched as his eyes switched to the boy chasing the dark-haired kid from the building. A slow grin formed across his lips. _Bingo_. Makunouchi's arms were outstretched as he sprinted after Umezawa, who was still cackling like a video game villain.

"Give it back! That's my lunch!"

"Ya gotta come get it, Ippo!"

"Umezawa-saaaaaaan!"

Sendo turned to Randy with a wolfish grin. "Target acquired."

Randy sighed and stroked his mustache again. "I'm comin' with ya. Ain't no tellin' what kinda upheaval yer plannin' ta cause."

"Ah. You know me so well, Old Man. But I ain't tryna start nothin'. I just wanna go say hi ta my new friend."

"Right. If you say so, Sendo."

Sendo turned on his heel, grin even wider as he shoved his hands into his uniform pockets and strode away. He could hear Randy muttering to himself the whole trip to the lower level, but he paid it no mind. His thoughts were on Makunouchi and his big, earnest gray eyes, his spiky, dark hair, and his easy-going smile. He wanted to hear the kid's voice again, even if it was just to laugh at how ridiculously polite he was.

Sendo left the Otowa High building and sauntered over to the open area where he'd seen Makunouchi and his buddy. Almost immediately, the Preppies started pointing and whispering. He didn't give a shit. He knew for a fact that they wouldn't make a move as long as his name was Sendo Takeshi. He paused for a moment as he let his eyes roam the Preppies, intimidating them with his friendly smirk. Then, he spotted Makunouchi, and his mind was once again on one track. Makunouchi was with the same group of people who'd met up with him in the Otowa Prep infirmary: the rich snob Miyata, Mashiba's little sister, the doofus who'd stolen Makunouchi's lunch, and some quiet kid that Sendo didn't know. As he drew closer, he noticed how Makunouchi's friends seemed to flank around him like a shield. Randy must have noticed it too because he chuckled.

"How cute," he rumbled.

Sendo nodded, but didn't let the glares being sent his way deter him. Finally, he stopped right in front of Miyata, who was blocking Makunouchi's path, arms folded across his chest.

"What do you want?" Miyata snapped.

Sendo tilted his head to the side and grinned some more. "I came ta talk ta Makunouchi. Ya mind?"

"Actually, I do."

He wasn't very big on defiance or patience, so Miyata was beginning to get on his last nerve. He opened his mouth to let the little tight-ass in on the secret, when Makunouchi edged into view from behind Miyata. His hand and forearm was still wrapped, but the bandage on his head was gone. He peered up at Sendo with such innocent eyes, it made Sendo want to steal him.

"It's OK, Miyata-kun. I don't think he wants to hurt me."

"Damned straight! I just wanna talk ta ya."

"A-about what, Sendo-san?"

Sendo glanced at Makunouchi's group of friends, the dirty looks rolling right off of him. He grinned until it hurt before stepping into Makunouchi's space and throwing an arm across the shorter boy's shoulders.

"Let's take a walk, huh?" he suggested.

Makunouchi's eyes went round with surprise as Sendo propelled him forward. This time, it was Mashiba's sister who protested.

"Makunouchi-kun!"

Sendo sucked his teeth. He was getting really tired of being nice to Makunouchi's guard dogs. However, before he even had a chance to say anything, Randy moved in with his hands held up in surrender.

"Look, we don' want no trouble. Sendo said he just wants ta talk ta the kid, so that's all he's gonna do."

"Thanks, Old Man!" Sendo gave his attention back to Makunouchi. "What's wit' yer friends, huh? They think I'm the Boogeyman 'er somethin'?"

Makunouchi's look of astonishment melted into an amused grin. "Haha! I never thought of it like that!"

A small something rolled over in Sendo's gut the longer he watched happiness dance across Makunouchi's face. What the hell was it about this guy that made him react like he had a crush for the first time ever?

Sendo led Makunouchi over to a tree, where he removed his arm from the teen's shoulders. His hands instantly dove into his pockets as he rocked back on his heels. Makunouchi actually fidgeted, toying with his fingers and studying the ground. He was too cute.

"Ya know, I ain't never met a Preppy like you. Yer the first one ta come lookin' for me on my own turf. That's really somethin'."

"I-I just wanted to return your jacket and to thank you for helping me. Th-that's all."

"Yeah, I heard ya the first time ya said it. Still don't change the fact that ya actually went through wit' it, ya know? But anyway, I figure a guy like you I can be friends wit'. I ain't got many, mind you, but...well...ya got heart is what I'm tryna say. An' I like people wit' heart. So...whattaya say, Makunouchi? Wanna be my friend?"

This would be a test of Makunouchi's merit. Would he be disgusted since Sendo was a filthy delinquent? Would he reject him the way any of the other Preppies would have done in the blink of an eye? He hoped not, but if Makunouchi did, it would let Sendo know that he wasn't worth it, after all.

"Heart," Makunouchi said quietly to himself with a soft smile. After a few beats, he raised his eyes to meet Sendo's and nodded. "Let's be friends, Sendo-san."

Heat threatened to envelope his entire face as he stared at Makunouchi. God, but the kid was an enigma. He didn't understand him at all. But...Makunouchi had passed the test with flying colors, so now it was up to Sendo to keep his end of the bargain. And why not? Makunouchi was interesting enough to keep Sendo from being bored for days. He'd make it a game.

See how long the Preppy lasted being friends with a delinquent.

XOXOXO

Ippo's heart was beating so fast, it hurt. There was nothing that could have prepared him for Sendo's abrupt offer of friendship. The older boy was so mysterious and unpredictable, but he seemed nice enough. Even with a devilish smirk that had the power to lift the hairs along the back of Ippo's neck, Sendo didn't seem like the monster Otowa Prep made him out to be.

Ippo's friends might not agree with his decision to befriend the most notorious delinquent of Otowa High, but he strangely didn't care, which was an oddity in and of itself. Normally, he cared too much what his friends thought about him. This time around, though, he planned to stand his ground. He didn't know why Sendo had asked him to be friends, but he was looking forward to it. The taller teen stared down at him, his piercing brown eyes unusually soft.

"So, it's a deal then. We're friends."

Ippo nodded, barely able to contain his grin. Sendo reached forward and ruffled his hair before stuffing that same hand back in his pants pocket.

"See ya 'round, Makunouchi."

Ippo watched the brunet saunter back to the boy who'd accompanied him before they both ambled back to their school. Before Ippo could make his way back to his friends, he was bombarded by students, all of them wondering what the head delinquent of Otowa High had wanted with him. He was so overwhelmed that he didn't know what to do. Some of the students were grabbing his shirt, others yelling at him. He was beginning to panic until a thickly accented voice hollered over the mayhem. The bedlam came to a pause as the students looked around for the source of that commanding voice, and then, they seemed to part down the middle as one, once they recognized Volg-san.

The red head made his way to Ippo, face creased with concern. "Are you OK, Makunouchi?"

Ippo gulped down air like it was in short supply. He was never a fan of being in the middle of a crowd.

"I-I think so. Thank you, Volg-san."

"What was all that about?"

Ippo shied away from the boy's intense blue eyes as he tried to come up with an answer. Luckily, his other friends used that time to crowd around him, all of their faces filled with concern. Except Miyata-kun. He just looked angry.

"Makunouchi-kun, are you OK?" Kumi-san asked, breathless as though she'd been running. "They didn't hurt you, did they?"

Ippo shook his head, attention already being diverted to Umezawa-san, who was adjusting the sleeve of Ippo's uniform shirt.

"Jeez, those friggin' animals. Ippo, you should've kicked their asses!"

"Eh-heh. No way, Umezawa-san."

"At least he's alright," Kobashi-san put in.

Even though he was being fussed over, Ippo couldn't help but watch the angry expression on Miyata-kun's face deepen the longer they stood there. Finally, the dark-haired boy seemed to snap.

"So, what did that ape have to say to you that was so important?"

Ippo frowned, confused. He really had no idea why Miyata-kun seemed so upset, but then again, he'd had an idea something like this would happen. He took a breath and stared defiantly back, nervous, but still determined to make his friends see that Sendo-san wasn't such a bad guy.

"He's not an ape, Miyata-kun," he stated firmly, drawing shocked countenances from everyone. "As a matter of fact, he wants to be my friend."

Silence pressed in around the small group like an advancing predator. No one said anything for what felt like forever, but Umezawa-san was the first to kill the quiet with a loud shriek of "WHAT?!"

"No way," Kobashi-san added.

"Are you serious, Makunouchi-kun?" Kumi-san squeaked.

Even Volg-san had something to say. "Makunouchi, that's not funny."

Ippo's frown turned into a deep scowl. Why wouldn't they believe him? Was Sendo-san really that bad of a person that the thought of them being friends was impossible to swallow? He didn't like that. From what he'd seen of the brunet, he was a decent man. Sure he was labeled as the head delinquent of the worst school in their town, but actions spoke louder than words, didn't they? And Sendo-san's actions were harmless so far.

"It's not a joke, and yes, I'm very serious," Ippo said sternly. "W-why don't you believe me?"

"Because he's a violent _criminal_ , maybe?" Miyata-kun snapped. "You have _no_ idea what you're doing, Makunouchi, you _dope_. He's playing you! It's probably just a game to him! Why-"

"Miyata-kun!" Ippo shouted, silencing the entire group. They stared back at him like he had four heads and ten arms and legs. "How can you say something so mean? You don't even know him!"

"I know enough."

Ippo shook his head and turned to each of his friends, hoping he would have an ally in at least one of them. Unfortunately, all he got were incredulous looks. He couldn't believe it. He never would have thought that his friends would be so closed-minded. Feeling slightly disturbed, he brushed past his friends and headed for the school building. He had a lot of thinking to do, but he refused to give up his budding friendship with Sendo-san.

**XxxxxxX**

He wasn't speaking to any of them. No matter how hard they tried to talk to him, he refused to respond. He knew they were only aiming to convince him not to be friends with Sendo-san. However, there was one person who seemed to be just as affronted as Ippo. Miyata-kun hadn't said a word to him since their disagreement; all he did was glare at Ippo as if that alone was enough to get him to change his mind about his decision. Ippo passed the dark-haired boy by the lockers, head held high. Normally, he'd feel like scum whenever his friends were upset with him, but this was different. It was like they didn't even want to give Sendo-san a chance to prove that he wasn't a dirtbag like everyone thought he was.

He left the building, school bag slung over his right shoulder. Looked like he was walking home alone today. Well, he didn't mind it all that much. Sometimes he needed to be by himself in order to get his thoughts together.

"Boo!"

Ippo almost fell over as he rounded the brick partition separating the school grounds from the sidewalk. Once his heart calmed down a bit, he was able to find the source of his terrifying moment.

"Sendo-san!"

The brunet was leaning against the stone wall, arms folded across his chest and full lips turned up in his signature smirk. Ippo smoothed a hand over a crease in his school shirt, disguising the fact that he was still trying to slow his breathing. He took in the sight of the taller boy and grinned. Sendo-san's smile was infectious.

"Jeez, Makunouchi. That was _too_ easy!"

"I wasn't expecting you to be here. Wh-what are you doing here?"

"What's that s'posed ta mean? I was waitin' on you. Wanna walk home tagether?"

For some strange reason, Ippo found himself blushing. Yes, he knew that Sendo-san wanted to be friends, but seeing the proof of it was a little overwhelming in itself. He studied the ground for a while before internally scolding himself for hesitating. What was there to be unsure about?

"S-sure."

Sendo-san beamed at him and pushed away from the wall. He threw an arm across Ippo's shoulders and glanced down at him, face so close, Ippo was holding his breath. Was this real? It almost didn't feel like it.

"Which way's yer house?"

"M-my house?"

Sendo-san stared at him for a beat before withdrawing his arm and folding both across his chest again. His expression was serious, almost angry, in fact.

"Why ya keep doin' that?"

"Uh...doing what, Sendo-san?"

"Oh my _God_ ," Sendo-san groaned and rolled his brown eyes. " _That_ , Makunouchi! Ya scared a'me 'er somethin'?"

Ippo shook his head earnestly. "No! No, I'm not!"

"Then stop the fuckin' stutterin'! S'pissin' me off!"

"I'm sorry, Sendo-san."

"An' stop bein' so formal wit' me! _Sendo_. Just _Sendo_. Alright?"

Ippo nodded, almost ashamed. All of his friends told him he was too polite with them, but it was such a habit for him. It would be hard to just stop doing what he'd been doing his whole life. Sendo glared at him until he nodded again.

"OK."

The smile was back as though it had never gone. Sendo lowered his arms and shoved his hands into his pockets. "That's better. Now, which way's yer house?"

Ippo pointed across the street to an alley that he used to get home a little faster. "I go that way."

"Well, let's go."

They made their way over to the alley, Sendo leading the way as if he knew exactly where he was going. Ippo thought it was endearing how straightforward Sendo tended to be. The trek through the alley was short, and in no time they were walking the path beside the river. Ippo was nervous. He knew what kinds of things to say around his other friends, but Sendo was different. Not only was he a new presence, but he was also kind of intimidating. Ippo kicked at a small rock, tossing around ideas in his mind of what he could talk about with the older boy. Finally, a thought hit him.

"Sendo-san – OW!" Ippo cried, grabbing his upper arm in disbelief. "What was that for?"

"What's my name, Makunouchi?"

Sendo's face was blank, but his tone of voice was enough to make Ippo shudder. It didn't take him long to realize his blunder, though. Sheepishly, he grinned.

"Sorry...Sendo."

"Alright. Now, what were you gonna ask me?"

Ippo winced as he rotated his shoulder, loosening the muscles that had bunched in defense against Sendo's swift punch. He supposed he would have to get used to Sendo's brand of friendship. If nothing else, it would make him stronger, that was for sure. He sighed and peered at the taller boy from the corner of his eye.

"How old are you?"

Sendo grinned, but kept facing forward. "Eighteen. You?"

"Seventeen. Um, do you have any brothers or sisters?"

"Nah. Just me an' my granny. You?"

Ippo frowned. Just him and his granny? Did that mean that Sendo didn't have any parents? That might be too personal, so he skipped over it.

"I don't have any brothers or sisters, either. It's just me and my mom."

He thought about his dad, and his stomach clenched like it always did. He still missed him so much. He didn't notice Sendo watching him until he turned to ask another question. Those brown eyes weren't as sharp as they usually were. Instead, they were gentle and curious. Ippo almost froze as his face warmed. Why couldn't his friends see this side of Sendo?

"He's gone, isn't he?" Sendo asked quietly.

Ippo swallowed past the lump rising in his throat. All he could do was nod, though. He tried answering with words, but it was impossible at the moment. He averted his gaze towards the shimmering surface of the river, brows pulled into a helpless scowl. The water seemed like it was mocking him since it had been the cause of his father's death. It danced merrily, bouncing the sun's rays back at them like miniature beach balls. The silence stretched on for a while, only interrupted here and there by seagulls and passing vehicles on the bridge ahead of them. Ippo didn't know what to do to erase the awkward moment. They'd been doing so well.

"I lost my pop too, ya know? And my mom, but she went when I was still a baby. My dad didn' go 'til I was 'bout six. He was a hero, though. A fire fighter. He died savin' a kid from a burnin' buildin'. He's the one who taught me what real strength is."

Ippo stared at Sendo. The brunet was watching him in return just as intensely, but there was no indication that he was sad or holding on to any residual grief. Maybe he could learn a thing or two from Sendo since he felt the exact same way about his own father. His dad had passed, trying to save one of his customers who'd fallen overboard the small Makunouchi fishing boat. His mother had told him the story once he'd been old enough, and he remembered being filled with pride. His dad was a hero...just like Sendo's.

"Yeah," he agreed, somehow knowing that he wouldn't need to say anything else for Sendo to understand.

They moved on in a silence that only lasted for no longer than a minute. Ippo was so deeply engrossed within his own mind that he'd forgotten he was supposed to be learning more about his new friend. Lucky for him, Sendo was on a mission.

"Hey, Makunouchi...why're you so nice?"

Ippo arched a brow, genuinely surprised at the question. He'd been asked it so many times that it shouldn't have come as a shock. But it did. Even worse, he still didn't have an answer for it. Yes, his parents had ingrained proper manners into him as a small child, but he really didn't know why he was so nice that he was almost a pushover most of the time. It was embarrassing.

"I...I don't really know."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah. You're not the first person to ask me that, and you're not the first person I've been unable to answer."

"Hmm," Sendo noised as he tilted his head and rubbed his hairless chin. "Don' get me wrong; I don' think it's a bad thing. I was jus' wonderin'."

"Oh."

"So...ya got a girlfriend, Makunouchi?"

Ippo instantly went red. Now, where had that come from? He peeked at Sendo from the corner of his eye, only to turn away with a cringe at finding that drilling brown gaze on him. He wanted to writhe in embarrassment. If he said no, would Sendo laugh at him? By all means, they were at the age where dating should have been the norm, but Ippo had never gotten that far. Sure, he'd thought about it. He'd even thought he'd had a few crushes, but he'd always been too nervous to approach anyone. Kumi-san didn't count because she was his friend. He didn't even see her that way, even though a lot of the guys in their school had a thing for her. Deciding to just go ahead and tell the truth, he sighed and rubbed the back of his neck.

"No, I don't have one."

"Why not?" Sendo fired right back, merciless.

"I just never got around to it, I guess. Um, can we change the subject, Sendo-sa – I mean, Sendo?"

It was wishful thinking, of course, but he gave it a shot anyway. And like he'd been expecting when he asked, Sendo rejected the notion right away.

"No way, Makunouchi," the brunet answered with that canine heavy grin. "Don'tcha got anyone ya like?"

Ippo groaned and covered his face with his hands. This wasn't happening. He was prepared to talk about almost anything else but this. _Anything_. Why did Sendo have to latch onto the _one_ topic he was so unsure about?

"Sendo, I don't think about it. Maybe I did at one point, but it's not important to me now. I have good friends, and that's all that matters."

Sendo recoiled like Ippo had smacked the hell out of him. Mouth open, the brunet stared. "But...but what about yer urges an' shit? I know ya get horny from time ta time. Don'tcha want somebody there that can...you know...take care of it?"

"No! I don't...I just...Sendo, _please_..."

"Alright, alright. Sheesh. I can't believe yer single on purpose. Most guys don' have a choice 'bout that kinda stuff, but I don' think ya got that problem. ...Hey, wait...Makunouchi...are you gay?"

Ippo choked on his saliva as he pulled to a stop. He stared at Sendo, paralyzed with shock. _Now_ what was he talking about? Because Ippo didn't have a girlfriend, it had to mean that he was...that he was _gay_?

"I...no! I'm not! I don't like guys! I mean...not like that, anyway!"

He was beet red. He had to be. His face felt like it was a pit of lava, and his armpits were beginning to sweat. He was so nervous, he was almost trembling. Did the way he behaved give off the impression that he was gay? The way he talked? What was it that made Sendo ask him something like that?

Sendo's face had gone blank. He was studying Ippo like he saw something that he didn't understand and was trying to figure out. After a few moments of that, the brunet turned away with a grunt and a small scowl. What was that about? Ippo didn't know what to do anymore. He hoped he hadn't made Sendo mad or anything. And then it dawned on him.

"Ah, um...Sendo...you, uh...are you..."

Brown eyes focused on him so quickly, it felt like a swipe of a blade. "Yeah. Yeah, I am."

The following silence was painful. Ippo wanted to apologize, but figured it would only make the situation worse. Good grief, he couldn't do anything right. Here he had a chance to make a new friend, but he kept messing it up at every turn. He was so stupid. But, yet again, he was saved by the older boy beside him.

"Ya got somethin' against gay people, Makunouchi? I think ya should tell me now be-"

"No! Not at all, Sendo! I just...I wasn't expecting you to ask me that, so I got a little defensive, but I'm not homophobic. In fact, Miya-"

Ippo immediately cut himself off. That was something Miyata-kun had told him in confidence, and Ippo wasn't sure he should be sharing that kind of news with Sendo. He just didn't want the brunet to think that he was prejudiced or anything.

Sendo's grin was slow and mischievous. "That ain't no secret ta me, Makunouchi."

"Wh-what? You know?"

"Heh. Ya mean, ole goody-two-shoes ain't told ya why he hates my fuckin' guts?"

Ippo shook his head. Was there something more to the story about Miyata-kun's anger towards Sendo? If so, why hadn't Miyata-kun told him? Weren't they supposed to be best friends? Ippo frowned and glared down at his sneakers as they turned onto his street. Well, that was disturbing.

"I take it he hasn't. You should ask him 'bout that when ya get a chance."

"Oh, I will," Ippo replied, anger evident in his voice.

The rest of the walk was quiet, each boy clearly focused on their own thoughts. When Ippo stopped in front of his home, he realized that Sendo was watching him, brown eyes amused.

"I'm glad yer not a homophobe, Makunouchi. I woulda hated ta hafta kick yer ass, ya know?"

Ippo chuckled and shook his head. Sendo was so blunt, but Ippo liked it. He didn't have to guess what the older boy was thinking because he always made it known. This was something Ippo could get used to.

"I understand. Um, thank you for walking me home, Sendo."

"Gah!" Sendo exclaimed as he waved a hand back and forth in front of his face. "Ya make it sound like a date 'er somethin'!"

Ippo blushed as the thought ran through his mind. Almost instantly afterward, he went still with shock at himself. Why was he...? It had to be the questions Sendo had been asking him. Why else would he even consider thinking of himself and Sendo on a date? He must have gone quiet for too long because Sendo's head tilted to the side like a curious puppy, one dark eyebrow arched. Time seemed to pause when Sendo stepped closer, diminishing the gap between their bodies. He was taller, so he looked down into Ippo's eyes, expression completely serious.

"Yer not havin' second thoughts are ya?"

Ippo worked his mouth open and closed, but there were no words forthcoming. He wanted to say something, wanted to deny what Sendo was clearly trying to imply, but he was rooted in place. The air felt like it had suddenly gone thick with an unrecognizable tension, and it didn't help matters that Sendo's face kept moving closer and closer to his own. What was going on? Sendo's head tilted a little more until they were damned near brushing cheeks, his lips next to Ippo's right ear.

"See ya tomorrow, Makunouchi," he murmured before backing away with a small, secretive grin.

Ippo didn't know what to think as he watched his new friend amble away in the opposite direction, but the pounding of his heart was trying to give him an idea.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Hajime no Ippo...

Onwards...

XOXOXO

"So, how'd your date go?"

Sendo glared at Randy from the corner of his eye before the sound of his on-screen character dying a horrific death made him suck his teeth.

"Stop bein' a jerk. It wasn' a fuckin' date. I jus' walked 'im home so I could get ta know 'im a lil better."

Randy reclined on Sendo's bed, arms folded behind his head as he stared at the ceiling. He was giving that smirk that made Sendo want to punch him in the fucking face.

"I mean, if you say so. Most people call that a date, though."

"Fuck off."

Sendo didn't want to think about what Randy had dubbed "the date." When he did, he couldn't stop thinking about the way he'd been two seconds – no, scratch that – half a second away from jumping Makunouchi right there in front of the boy's house. Why did he have to be so damned _innocent_? Why did he have to be so _cute_? Sendo gritted his teeth as he was forced to restart the video game level he was having trouble with. Randy had met him at his house, which was their usual, but Sendo had still been reeling somewhat from what had just gone down at the end of his walk with Makunouchi.

"So, what'd ya talk about?" Randy asked, interrupting Sendo's thoughts.

"Jus' some stuff."

"Yeah, right. Like I'm gonna let _that_ shit slide. 'Fess up! Didja kiss him at least?"

Sendo wanted to throw his game controller at his dark-haired friend's head. Did Randy have to be so acute?

"What makes ya think I like 'im like _that_?"

Randy slowly sat up and turned to face him, one eyebrow arched with incredulous amusement. "Yer shittin' me, right?" When Sendo refused to respond, Randy swung his legs over the edge of the bed and rested his elbows on his knees, his chin in his palms. "Ya can't fool _me_ , Sendo. I saw the way ya looked at that kid. Need I say more?"

"Jesus Christ, ya know? Jus' let it go. So what if I _do_ like 'im? He ain't even inta guys like that, fer one thing, and I'd probably scare the shit outta 'im, fer another. Jus' leave it be."

"Wow."

The strange thing: that was all Randy said. But it was all he _needed_ to say, really. Sendo completely understood where his best friend was coming from. No one – and he meant _no one_ – had _ever_ gotten him to the point where he was feeling insecure about himself. He set down the controller after his character died again, this time turning to face Randy with his full attention.

"I asked 'im if he had a problem wit' people bein' gay, an' he told me no. But he told me _he_ wasn' gay, either. I don' wanna scare 'im off by comin' on too strong, ya know?"

"I have never in my life seen ya this considerate towards a Preppy's feelin's. S'weird. Yer givin' me the willies, Sendo."

Sendo snorted and shook his head as he toyed with a piece of the carpet near his feet. "How ya think _I_ feel? Usually I jus' take what I want, but I can' do that wit' this guy."

"Why not?"

"You saw 'im! He's so goddamned innocent, I'd feel like Satan if I even breathed at 'im wrong."

Randy sighed and lowered himself to the floor beside Sendo. "I don' think that's all there is to it. _I_ think ya like 'im. A _lot_."

Sendo glared at his best friend for the umpteenth time within the space of an hour. He'd become friends with Randy because he'd liked the boy's attitude, and he'd liked that the guy could see through bullshit and straight to the heart of a situation. However, there were times when Randy's astuteness posed a problem and turned into an annoyance.

"I dunno 'bout all that," Sendo grumbled, not meeting his best friend's gaze. "He's jus' interestin'."

"I wish you'd stop denyin' it already. I've known ya too long not ta recognize the signs a'you likin' somebody. Knock it off. S'insultin'."

"Fine! Alright? I _like_ 'im. An' I like 'im a lil more than I should, which is why I ain't all overdoin' things. Leave it be, man."

Randy quirked his lips to the side as if he still had something to say, but was deciding against it. Sendo felt immense relief rush through him. He wasn't ready for the third degree just yet. Hell, he was still trying to figure out what it was about Makunouchi that drew him in so completely. He frowned down at his toes, his right hand forming a fist.

_What is it about you, Makunouchi? Why can't I stop thinking about you?_

His skin crawled as he recalled how soft the smaller boy's lips looked, how big and gray his eyes were, and how his cheeks had gone all red the closer Sendo had gotten to him. This was going nowhere. Now, Sendo felt like he just wanted to get into trouble. Maybe a nice, hard brawl would get his mind off of the Preppy who had managed to enchant him within the space of a few days.

He jumped to his feet, and as he searched for his sneakers, he glanced over his shoulder at Randy. The other teen was watching him with amusement and curiosity in his dark eyes.

"What're ya doin'?"

"I'm gettin' ready ta find some trouble."

Randy's eyes went wide for a fraction of a second before his expression settled into a smirk. "I'm down with that."

XOXOXO

"Have a safe trip!"

Ippo waved after the family fishing boat before wiping the sweat from his face with the bottom of his white t-shirt. He had a few hours before the boat was due to return, so he figured he could get his homework done and maybe take Wanpo for a walk. Speaking of Wanpo, the dog was seated beside him, dark eyes pointed up at him and tongue lolling from the side of its mouth. Ippo reached down and scratched behind the dog's right ear. Wanpo had been a gift from one of Ippo's father's old friends. The man was still a regular with the family business, but since Nekota-san was getting on in age, his visits were becoming less frequent. Ippo hummed as he thought about going to see Nekota-san during their Summer break. He would have a lot more free time, and he missed the eccentric old man.

Decision made, Ippo made his way back towards his home. He enjoyed the way the light Spring breeze ruffled his short, spiky hair as he slowly left the dock. He always did like the warmer weather better than the cold. Once he entered the house, he went straight to his room and sat down at his desk. His school bag was draped across the back of his chair, so he dug around in it until he found his math book. How he hated math. He wasn't too shabby at it, but he definitely didn't appreciate it. He'd only gotten through about six problems when there was a loud knock at his front door. Frowning, Ippo paused. When he heard another knock, he slowly climbed to his feet and trudged to the front. He slid aside the door, almost reeling back in shock afterward.

"V-Volg-san! What are you doing here?"

The red-haired Russian smiled at him and rubbed the back of his neck. "I was passing through and thought I'd say hello."

"Oh...OK. Do you want to come inside for a while?"

"Yes, please."

Ippo moved so Volg-san could pass into the foyer before closing the door. He felt a little awkward around the older, taller teen. It wasn't the first time Volg-san had dropped by, but they'd never been in the house alone together, and it made Ippo a little nervous. He didn't know what to say. He shifted in place, his now clammy hands rubbing and toying with one another as he alternated his gaze between the boy in front of him and the floor. What did Volg-san want?

"Makunouchi, are you alright?"

Ippo flinched. He wasn't being a very good host, was he? He gave an uneasy chuckle as he scratched the back of his head.

"I'm sorry, Volg-san. I just wasn't expecting company. Would you like something to drink? Something to eat?"

"Ah. I'll have some water, if that's OK."

Once they moved into the well-lit kitchen, Ippo grabbed a glass and filled it with the filtered water from the refrigerator. He turned to hand it to his friend and almost dropped the glass on the floor.

"V-Volg-san! What happened to your face?!" he cried.

Volg-san's aqua-blue eyes went wide for a second before he smiled. "Ah, I'm coming from a match. I won."

Ippo sagged with relief. He'd thought that the other teen had been jumped by some of the Otawa High students.

"So, it was only a match? Thank goodness! Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. Just a little sore."

"We can go sit in my room if you want? Take a load off for a bit?"

"That would be nice," Volg-san laughed before accepting the glass Ippo now held forward.

He emptied it in a matter of seconds, his Adam's apple bobbing quickly with each swallow. For some reason, the sight of the taller teen's neck made Ippo wonder how Sendo would look doing the same activity. He blushed as he realized where his thoughts had gone. Why on Earth had Sendo entered his mind? As soon as Ippo let his guard down to his imagination, it completely took over his brain. He relived the moment outside of his home, where Sendo had moved in so close, it had made the hair stand up all over Ippo's neck and arms. Then, the brunet had gone on to breathe across his ear and murmur into it, making Ippo have a strange reaction. He'd blushed from head to toe, and his heart had begun racing like he'd just gone for a quick run. There was something about Sendo's voice and smell that made Ippo behave in an odd manner; he just couldn't figure out what the hell it was.

He shook himself free from the hold of his wayward thoughts and led Volg-san to his room. Ippo felt as though he were up to something because the house was so quiet, the situation so bizarre. In his room, he went back to his desk and decided he would try and get his homework done while Volg-san kept him company.

"You can sit on my futon," Ippo offered as he pointed to the bed in the corner of the room. "Sorry, I don't have any other chairs, and I really need to get some of this work done."

Volg-san gave one of his warm, charming smiles as he nodded and lowered himself to the floor. "That's fine. What are you working on?"

"Math. I don't like math," Ippo sighed with dejection. He was about to turn to the book on his desk when Volg-san winced and grimaced as he settled on the futon. "Is everything OK?"

The red head looked up with wide, blue eyes, which made Ippo think that perhaps Volg-san hadn't realized he was being watched.

"I...well, uh...it's my back, you see? Sometimes after a match it gets so sore, it tenses up. I'll be fine, though."

"No way! Is there anything I can do to help?"

He was genuinely concerned. Volg-san was his friend, after all. Ippo tilted his head to the side as he locked gazes with the other boy. Volg-san's kind eyes didn't have the same effect on Ippo that Sendo's sharp and piercing ones did. When Volg-san looked at him, all Ippo felt was kindness and friendship. With Sendo...it was a little different. The how or why, Ippo still hadn't come across.

"I'll be fine, Makunouchi. No worries."

"Are you sure?"

Volg-san's eyes fell to the carpeted floor of Ippo's bedroom as he shifted in place, his expression one of uncertainty. It took him a long few seconds to finally speak, but when he did, his request caught Ippo all the way off guard.

"Makunouchi, would you...I mean, you wouldn't mind, ah...how should I say it?" The boy's blue eyes suddenly lit up. "Ah! Do you know how to massage the back muscles to take away tension?"

Ippo arched a brow, confused at first. Then, Volg-san's meaning sunk in and made Ippo cover his mouth to try and hide his laughter.

"Volg-san, do you want me to give you a back massage?" he asked.

The red head nodded. "Yes! That's what it's called! I would very much appreciate it, Makunouchi. My back is bothering me so that I can't get comfortable. I hate to ask you such a thing, but it would really help."

Ippo stood with a friendly grin, unaware of Volg-san's blush. "If it's to help a friend, then sure."

As he moved over to the other boy, Volg-san stood and removed the light-brown jacket he wore, revealing the fitted white t-shirt he had on underneath it. His arms were muscular and strong-looking, but that was normal. The boy _was_ a boxer. However, Ippo found his gaze straying to the red head's entire torso a little too often. He'd never noticed just how tightly packed the teen's abdomen was, or just how broad his shoulders were. Volg-san's red hair seemed easy to tame since it lay perfectly across his brow, and his very blue eyes were warm and kind. Ippo shook his head for the second time that night, his own eyes widening at where his thoughts kept roaming. Why was he suddenly so aware of his friend?

Ippo decided that he was going to ignore his fluttering gut and slightly trembling hands. He was already quite disturbed by the strange feelings creeping over him, so ignoring it would be best. He settled on the futon on his knees as he waited for Volg-san to reclaim his spot, heart rate climbing. And then, he glanced up to see what was taking the boy so long. His breath caught in his throat and choked to a halt. What was happening to him?! He couldn't even think straight anymore. Volg-san was in the process of taking off his t-shirt. It was tented over his head and arms, but his abdomen and chest were showing, complete with rippling muscle.

"Ah, um...Volg-san...i-is that really necessary?" Ippo stuttered.

"Huh?" the red head grunted, voice muffled by the t-shirt. Finally, the material slipped over the boy's head, mussing his hair. "What did you say, Makunouchi?"

Ippo lowered his eyes and shook his head. "N-nothing. I was just waiting for you to finish."

Volg-san dropped his shirt on top of his jacket before lowering himself to the futon, his legs folding underneath him Indian-style. He glanced over his shoulder at Ippo, blue eyes curious.

"Ready?"

Ippo swallowed thickly as he gave a short nod. His mouth was dry as sand, and his heart was hammering against his ribs. Why was he so nervous? Volg-san was just his friend. And besides, he didn't even like boys in that way. Not like Sendo. And there went his mind again. As Ippo sat behind Volg-san, eyes roving over the other boy's wide, strong-looking back, he imagined what Sendo would look like without his school uniform. It made him hot all of a sudden.

Trying to take his mind off of his new brunet friend, Ippo rubbed his hands together, warming them for a few seconds. Finally, he took a deep breath and lay a hand on each of Volg-san's shoulders. They were tight and rock-hard. The boy hadn't been lying when he'd said they were riddled with tension. Ippo squeezed and rubbed the muscles into submission before moving on to the taller teen's neck, where he pressed his thumbs against the base in slow, circular motions. Volg-san made a noise that made Ippo freeze. Had he done something wrong? He leaned forward a little, trying to see over the boy's shoulder, but that just made his stomach drop and heat up. His chest was pressed to Volg-san's back, and it gave Ippo the strangest feeling. He didn't necessarily dislike it, either.

"Are you OK, Volg-san?" he asked in order to distract himself.

Volg-san made that noise again before he said, "Mmm, I'm fine, Makunouchi. That feels good."

The hair all over his arms and neck stood up as he backed away from Volg-san. So, the red head was _moaning_. Ippo gulped as he went back to coaxing the tension from the other boy's neck. He was studiously attempting to ignore the way Volg-san's voice rumbled with pleasure the more Ippo went on. Thankfully, during a slight lull where Ippo let his fingers knead the taut muscles surrounding Volg-san's spine, Volg-san spoke up.

"Makunouchi," he started quietly.

"Hmm?"

"I-I, um...I _did_ come here for a reason, after all."

Ippo's hands paused as he listened. Volg-san seemed more serious than usual. "Oh. What was it?"

"I wanted to apologize for earlier. I really shouldn't have been so harsh with you when you told us about Sendo-san. I was just surprised."

Ippo sighed. The sober topic made his body cool down almost instantly. "I understand. I was surprised as well, but Sendo is actually a really nice guy if you give him a chance." Volg-san's shoulders stiffened, making Ippo frown at the impediment of his progress. "What's wrong? You tensed up."

"Why don't you use honorifics when you say his name? Are you that close already?"

Ippo's face reheated as he blushed darkly. "Well, it's not that. It's just...Sendo wants me to be less formal with him."

"Why?" Volg-san asked, voice almost dripping with disdain.

Ippo frowned, but answered the question anyway. "I don't know. It's just what he wanted."

The room went silent as the two boys let their minds wander. Ippo worried that Volg-san was upset with him for some reason. The boy's back kept tensing and relaxing in short intervals as though he was trying to keep himself in check. But Ippo didn't understand why. He hurried through the rest of the massage, making sure to cover the important areas, yet still moving at a fast pace. When he finished, he sat back on his heels and made a show of it.

"There you go, Volg-san! Feel any better?"

Volg-san was quiet for a few beats before he climbed to his feet. When he faced Ippo, he wore a small smile. "Thank you, Makunouchi, but please...call me Volg. You don't have to be so formal with me, either."

Ippo blinked at the sudden change in demeanor from his foreign friend. He honestly didn't know what to say, so all he did was nod. Volg-san stooped to the floor and nabbed his t-shirt before pulling it over his head. Ippo felt a brief pang of disappointment as the other boy's body was concealed beneath the white material once more.

Man, he was being so weird.

He walked Volg-san to the door once the boy had his jacket on again. There, they stood in silence until Ippo chuckled from the awkward moment.

"OK, good night, Volg-san – I mean, Volg. See you at school tomorrow?"

"Yep. See you there, Makunouchi."

When Ippo closed the door, he leaned back against it and blew out a deep breath. That had been so disconcerting, but sure interesting.

XOXOXO

Sendo strutted through the halls of Otowa High, sporting his bandages proudly. He and Randy had gone for a walk the night before and had ended up running into trouble at a nearby park. Just like he'd wanted. There had been a group of idiots from a rival school, lounging by the monkey bars, who'd spotted Sendo and Randy as they'd passed. Of course, after seeing the Otowa High uniform, the idiots had taken upon themselves to confront the two teens. It hadn't been smart on their part at all, but Sendo had made sure to take out all of his frustrations on them. In the end, he and Randy had been victorious. Randy had only acquired a split lip and a bruise underneath his left eye, while Sendo had gained a cut over his right eyebrow, a bruised cheek, and a cut near the corner of his mouth. Nothing serious. News of the fight had spread like wildfire if the behavior of one of Sendo's cronies was anything to go by.

"Wahhh, Sendo-sama! Ten guys and those are the only wounds you received?! Awesome!"

Sendo grinned as he stalked to the entrance of the building. "A'course! What'd ya expect, huh?"

"You're right, sir! As usual!"

The boy beside him was eager to prove himself worthy of a higher position in ranks, but Sendo was skeptical. He didn't trust just anyone to have his back, so he would have to figure out a way to determine the boy's loyalty. Now wasn't that time, though.

"I'm leavin' fer a bit," he grunted, his tone brooking no argument.

The boy skidded to a stop before the wide, double doors that led outside and nodded. "I understand!"

With that, he took off in the direction they had come, leaving Sendo to his thoughts. He was still a little bothered by how much the Preppy, Makunouchi, seemed to remain on his mind. And then, there was the fact that he wanted to do so much more with the boy. _To_ him. It was driving him crazy, but he'd be patient. He planned to wear down that innocent personality of Makunouchi's before the school year was out.

"You're gettin' predictable, Sendo," Randy rumbled from beside him.

Sendo was surprised, but he refused to jump and show it. Instead, he rolled his eyes with a smirk.

"Whatever, Old Man."

"I take it we're goin' ta see yer lil boyfriend?"

"He's not my boyfriend. Least not yet."

Randy stopped walking, and it took Sendo a few seconds to realize it. When he did, he paused and stared at his friend.

"What's wrong witchu?" he grunted with a frown.

"I don' believe it," Randy said, eyes wide. "Who the hell're you, and what'd ya do wit' my best friend?"

Sendo threw his head back and cackled. "Ah! Old Man, yer a hoot!"

"I'm serious! You don' do boyfriends, Sendo, or didja ferget?"

Suddenly sobering, Sendo's face went blank. "I didn' ferget nothin'."

"Then wha-"

"I thought we talked 'bout this already?"

Randy rubbed his mustache as he continued to stare at Sendo. Sendo didn't really care at this point. What he wanted, he got. And right now, he wanted that dark-haired Preppy with a vengeance. That final thought spurred his feet onward, carrying him over to the open area in front of Otowa Prep. It was lunch time and he was ready to see his new friend. Randy caught up with him with a few long strides, but he was eerily silent. Sendo scowled as they passed the brick partition separating the sidewalk from the school grounds.

"Yer makin' this weird," he mumbled, agitation building beneath his skin. "It doesn' hafta be."

Randy sighed and stroked his chin. "I know that. Ya gotta give me credit fer not completely freakin' out, though. I ain't used ta you talkin' 'bout boyfriends and shit."

Sendo understood. He'd been against the idea for so long that it only made sense that his best friend would be floored. He started to respond, when he caught sight of a head of dark, spiky hair. _There's no mistaking that hair of Makunouchi's_ , Sendo thought as a wide, mischievous grin bloomed across his face. He wanted to jog over and catch the boy unaware, but that notion went out the window when Sendo noticed another dark-haired Preppy watching him with disgust.

Fucking Miyata. What the hell was that prick's issue with him these days, anyway? Their history was old news.

Sendo ignored the dark looks coming from Makunouchi's band of geeks as he made his way over. Unfortunately, the group's silence brought Makunouchi's attention directly to Sendo. Those brilliant gray eyes went round with shock as usual, but there was something different this time. Makunouchi's cheeks were turning red. Sendo frowned for the briefest of seconds before his grin was back in full force.

_What's this?_

He stopped in front of the shorter boy and put a hand on his left shoulder. "Hey, Makunouchi. How ya doin' taday?"

The look of surprise cleared from Makunouchi's face as he beamed that enchanting smile at Sendo. "Better than you, apparently," he teased.

Sendo wanted to kiss him.

"What happened to your face, Sendo?" the boy continued.

Sendo shook himself free from his lecherous thoughts and shrugged. "Got into a fight wit' a buncha creeps. Nothin' serious."

"What did I tell you? You see? He's nothing but a criminal."

Sendo wanted to strangle Miyata. He turned to him with a deep scowl.

"What the fuck is yer problem?" he growled.

The girl of the group cringed and backed up a few steps, while the other two boys of the group stared at Sendo with enormous eyes. There was a red head there, who was frowning at Sendo and standing way too close for comfort next to Makunouchi.

"Miyata-kun!" Makunouchi chided. "That wasn't very nice!"

"I don't have to be nice to this _asshole_!"

Sendo was starting to see red and took a threatening step towards the snobby bastard, when he was stopped by a large hand across his chest. He looked down and then up into the dark eyes of his best friend. Randy was smirking, his attention all for Miyata.

"It's cool," he said. It was his turn to step forward right into Miyata's personal space. "I don' see how this is yer business, rich boy."

Miyata's eyes widened before his cheeks turned a light shade of pink. Sendo thought the other boy looked like he'd seen a ghost.

"Wh-who are you?" Miyata asked, voice almost breathless.

 _Or maybe not_.

Sendo tilted his head to the side as he studied the slender Preppy. Miyata was still handsome. As a matter of fact, he'd grown into his looks quite nicely, but his attitude ruined everything. If he didn't walk around like he had a bug up his ass, he'd be fine. Perhaps what the boy needed was someone to take him down a peg or two, and who better to do that than Randy? Randy was used to bringing Preppies back to reality whenever they overstepped their bounds.

"The name's Randy Boy Jr. Remember it, 'cuz you'll be hearin' it a lot." Randy's smirk grew. "Maybe even screamin' it a few times if yer lucky."

Sendo snorted as he took a closer look at his best friend. Randy was joking of course, but there was a small light of interest in his eyes that hadn't been there before.

 _Hmm_...

A gentle hand on his arm snapped his head to the right. Makunouchi was looking up at him with concern in his gray eyes.

"Please don't be angry with Miyata-kun. I don't know what happened between the two of you, but you're my friend, and I won't let him be mean to you anymore."

Wasn't that just adorable? Sendo grinned and put his arm around Makunouchi's shoulders, drawing the boy closer to his side. "Don' worry 'bout him, Makunouchi. I ain't. I just don' like bein' disrespected, ya know?"

"I understand. It won't happen again," Makunouchi stated with a grim glance in Miyata's direction.

Sendo watched as Miyata glared back and forth between Randy and Makunouchi, obviously wanting to say something, but also equally unable to.

"Makunouchi."

Sendo frowned at the deep tenor coming from behind them. He glanced over his shoulder, and his frown deepened when he spied the red head scowling at him. Who the hell was this guy?

"Ah, Volg. What's the matter?"

Sendo almost keeled over in shock. Who the fuck was this dude that Makunouchi addressed so informally? Sendo had gotten accustomed to being the only one the dark-haired boy did that with. This new addition didn't sit well with him at all. He carefully removed his arm from Makunouchi's shoulders and faced the red head.

"Is there a problem?" he asked, voice all steel and razor blades.

The red head's bright blue eyes narrowed as he took a step closer, which raised Sendo's hackles. Oh? If this clown wanted a fight, Sendo was more than ready to give him one. Especially if it concerned Makunouchi.

"I just want to make sure you're going to be OK. I'm about to head to my next class."

Makunouchi grinned, clearly clueless to the interest in the red head's gaze. Sendo didn't like that shit one bit.

"Oh, yeah, I'll be fine. See you later!"

The red head lingered for a few moments more before nodding and taking his leave. Sendo didn't relax his shoulders until the guy had made his way into Otowa Prep, the entrance doors closing behind him. When the guy was well out of sight, Sendo turned back to Makunouchi with a creased brow.

"Who the heck was that?"

Makunouchi chuckled, but he also blushed. Red flags sprang up and alarms blared in Sendo's mind. What the actual fuck? Now he really wanted to hit something.

"He's just my friend. His name is Volg."

"Like I give a shit 'bout that!" Sendo snapped before he caught himself. Makunouchi's eyes went round again as he stared up at Sendo in what could only be confused fright. Damn. He hadn't meant to scare the kid. "I mean," he backpedaled. "I just didn' like the way he was lookin' at me."

"O-oh. I understand."

"Look, I'm just gonna go. I'll see ya 'round, Makunouchi," Sendo muttered.

His good mood was thoroughly trashed. He hadn't anticipated having competition for Makunouchi's affections, and now that he did, he didn't know what to do about it. Normally, he'd just beat up the guy in question, but he couldn't do that this time around. Makunouchi had said the guy was his friend, and one thing Sendo noticed about the boy was that Makunouchi took friendship very seriously. Almost the way most people took relationships.

What was he going to do?

Sendo walked off, hands thrust deeply into his pockets. He'd forgotten about Randy until the other teen jogged up to him. Thankfully, the taller boy didn't say anything right away, which gave Sendo more time to think about his predicament. He really liked Makunouchi. Yes, he was able to admit that to himself now. And therein lie the problem. He liked the guy, but he obviously wasn't the only one. He sighed and ran a hand through his messy brown hair. He supposed that was the straw that broke Randy's back because as soon as they passed the stone partition, Randy grabbed Sendo's right elbow and pulled him aside.

"What the fuck happened back there? Yer actin' like ya confessed an' the kid turned ya down." Randy paused, eyes growing. "That ain't what happened, is it?"

"No, dipshit," Sendo grumbled, averting his gaze. He was so pissed and disappointed, he didn't know what to do with himself. "That guy..." he started, but his voice trailed off as the hurt took root inside of him.

Makunouchi hadn't used an honorific for the Volg guy, and he used honorifics for everyone. Not only that, but the way they looked at each other...the way Makunouchi had blushed after meeting Volg's eyes...it really bothered Sendo. Was he losing before he could even compete?

"What guy?" Randy interrupted his sullen thoughts. "Miyata?"

"Fuck no!" Sendo spat as though the name alone left a bad taste in his mouth. "That other guy."

"Sendo, there were like four guys there. Could ya be a lil more specific?"

"That jerk with the red hair!" Sendo roared, surprising himself as well as Randy. "Volg or some shit! He's got...that motherfucker..." he snarled, not really making any sense with what he was trying to say.

Sendo punched a hole in a sign on the sidewalk that advertised the upcoming Otowa Prep school festival. He was so pissed that his blood crashed through his veins like a river during a storm, and the skin at the back of his neck prickled. He wanted to fight. No, he needed to fight. If he didn't get rid of some of his anger, he would do something reckless.

"Jesus Christ, Sendo. Talk ta me, man."

"That Volg asshole wants Makunouchi for himself. I c'n see it in his eyes. How can't I? It's the same look I got in mine whenever I see that kid."

Randy blew out a breath and ran a hand through his own mess of dark brown hair. He shifted his weight and stared down at the ground for a beat before shrugging his shoulders.

"Kick his ass."

"I can't! Makunouchi would never talk ta me again. I dunno what ta do," Sendo sighed as he ambled over to the curb and plopped down onto it. "I don' wanna lose ta that guy."

For the next few minutes, there was a tense silence that neither boy knew how to get rid of. Sendo couldn't remember the last time he'd been this angry. All he wanted to do was tell Makunouchi that _he_ wanted him. That he wanted to kiss him and take him to new places. Randy called them dates, but Sendo thought that was too fancy a word. He just wanted to spend time with Makunouchi. Show the kid that he wasn't the barbarian everyone thought he was. Well, maybe he was, but he wanted to introduce the boy to the softer side of himself.

God, if Randy could hear the shit going through his head, he'd laugh him into the next town.

"Sendo?"

Sendo's shoulders sagged. Great. Now he was hearing Makunouchi's voice too. _That's just awesome_ , he thought bitterly as he kicked at a small pebble.

"Sendo?" came the voice again.

A kick to his side had him frowning up at Randy. "What the f-"

"Ya got comp'ny, dumbass!" his best friend snapped with a jerk of his head.

Sendo glanced over his shoulder, and spying Makunouchi near the stone partition, he shot to his feet and smoothed a few wrinkles in his uniform. Shit, what the hell was he doing?

"Makunouchi? What're you doin'? Don'cha got class?"

"Ah, I just...I wanted to ask if you wanted to...um...maybe...er, I guess," the boy mumbled.

Sendo was holding his breath as he watched Makunouchi falter over his words. Finally, he couldn't take it anymore. "What's on yer mind?"

Makunouchi took a visible, deep breath as he closed his eyes and his hands formed fists at his sides. "Would you like to come over to my house after school today?"

The words had been rushed, but Sendo could swear he'd never heard anything sweeter. He fought against the grin threatening to consume his entire face as he moved closer to the shorter boy. Dammit, he wanted to grab Makunouchi's face and kiss him until he couldn't breathe.

"Ya want me ta come over ta yer house?"

Makunouchi opened his eyes and jumped a little. Guess he hadn't expected Sendo to get that close so quickly.

"Y-yes. I-if you'd like to."

If he'd like to?

Sendo smirked and stepped all the way into Makunouchi's personal space. But then, his happiness subsided as a handsome red head filled his mind. Expression serious as a grave, Sendo caught Makunouchi's gaze.

"What about that Volg guy? He gonna be there too?" he asked.

Makunouchi's brow creased, the boy clearly confused. "Where? At my house?"

"Yeah, at your house."

"N-no. It's just...well, it'll only be us."

Sendo breathed a sigh of relief. For the moment, he could be satisfied that he would have Makunouchi to himself. He planned to interrogate Makunouchi when he got to the kid's house anyway. There was no way in Hell that he was going to let the chance slip by. Plus, Sendo was going to make it so that Makunouchi thought about no one but him.

"Hell yeah, I'll come over."


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Hajime no Ippo...

Onwards...

XOXOXO

Ippo paced in front of the school, hands wringing together nervously. He'd gone and invited Sendo over to his home, and now he was nervous as a bird. What had he been thinking? Sendo had dropped by just to speak to him, but somehow everything had gone all wrong. Ippo had no clue why, but he'd hated seeing the dejected look on the brunet's face. It didn't belong there.

"Makunouchi!"

Ippo whirled in place at the biting tone. "M-Miyata-kun?"

Miyata-kun stormed over to him, dark eyes livid. "You're waiting for that ape, aren't you?"

"Miyata-kun, please don't call Sendo names. It's not ni-"

" _Screw_ nice! You have no idea what you're getting yourself into, and I don't like it! You don't know who he is!"

"Then why don't you tell me?"

Ippo didn't understand why Miyata-kun seemed to hate Sendo so much, but now that he was here, spitting mad, Ippo figured he could get the truth of the matter out in the open. He was tired of Miyata-kun badmouthing his friend. Miyata-kun ran a hand through his straight, jet-black hair and sighed.

"It's...complicated."

"That doesn't tell me anything, you know."

"Makunouchi, he's a predator. He preys on the weak and uses everyone to his benefit."

Ippo almost reeled. What on Earth?

"Miyata-kun, what are you talking about? Sendo isn't like that!"

"How the hell would _you_ know? You've only been around him for what? Two days? Give me a break! There's a limit to being naïve. Now you're just being _stupid_."

Ippo thinned his lips as he stared at his friend. How could Miyata-kun say such mean things about Sendo? What had happened between them to make the dark-haired boy loathe Sendo to this degree?

"I am _not_ stupid, Miyata-kun. Instead of insulting me, why don't you just tell me why you hate him so much. Then, maybe I'd understand."

Miyata-kun rolled his eyes and huffed out a breath. Finally, after what felt like hours of silence, the boy continued speaking.

"He just wants to sleep with you!" he hissed, taking a step closer to Ippo. "He messes with your mind until you think you like him, and then he strikes!"

Ippo frowned, totally confused. Sendo himself had told Ippo that he liked boys, but that didn't make him a predator, as Miyata-kun referred to him. It just meant that his tastes ran a little differently. And then a light bulb went on in Ippo's mind.

"How do you know that? And why does it make _you_ so angry?"

Dread began gathering in the pit of Ippo's stomach as he watched Miyata-kun blush. What was _really_ going on here? Miyata-kun didn't seem inclined to answer the questions, and it just made red flags spring up everywhere.

"H-have you...slept with him, Miyata-kun?" Ippo asked, voice quiet.

Still...Miyata-kun wouldn't answer.

What would Ippo do if Miyata-kun said yes? What felt like large, hard lumps of ice slid around in his stomach and made him nauseous. He didn't like what he was feeling. Not one bit.

"Miyata-kun...answer me, please."

"No."

Ippo arched a brow. "No, you won't answer me, or-"

"No, I didn't sleep with him."

Relief washed over Ippo...a little too soon.

"But he tried."

Ippo frowned and stared down at his shoes. Why did that bother him so much? So, Sendo had tried to sleep with Miyata-kun. It shouldn't have been a big deal because, really, Ippo didn't even like boys like that. But Sendo...

"Makunouchi, it was a long time ago. We were kids. I mean, we both didn't know what we were doing, but...we liked each other. I didn't think it was a big deal until he'd pulled me under the slide in middle school and kissed me."

Ippo nearly gagged on the spot. He turned away from his friend and looked anywhere but at Miyata-kun. He didn't want to hear anymore. He couldn't. He didn't understand why he was feeling the way he was, but it was there, nonetheless. As badly as he wanted to get away, a morbid curiosity filled him up and wouldn't leave him alone. Carefully, he licked his lips and cleared his throat.

"It sounds like...like you..." Ippo's voice trailed off as he tried to come up with a way to word what he wanted to ask. He was falling short of the mark every time he opened his mouth. What was it that he wanted to know? "Then, why do you hate him so much? You said you both liked each other. Why would him kissing you make you hate him?"

There were so many thoughts and emotions running through him at the moment that he didn't know what to do with himself. His heart was thudding in his chest, and his stomach was in an uproar. His hands were shaking, so to hide it, he stuffed them in his pants pockets.

"He didn't really like me. He just wanted to add me to his list of victims."

Ippo frowned, exasperated and still very confused. He turned back to Miyata-kun. "What does that even mean? What victims?"

"I wasn't the only boy he kissed that year."

He gave up. Ippo threw his hands into the air and scoffed. "I just don't understand. I'm going home, Miyata-kun."

"Makunouchi, wait!"

Ippo ignored him. He had too much on his mind. He wanted to know if what Miyata-kun had said was true. And if it was...did that make Sendo the predator Miyata-kun made him out to be? Was he really that callous a person? Even worse, though, was the fact that Ippo was questioning Miyata-kun now. Did Miyata-kun still like Sendo? Was that why just the sight of the brunet had the dark-haired boy constantly seething with rage? Ippo just didn't know.

He rubbed a hand over his face as he trudged towards the shortcut he took home on a daily basis. He'd never been so confused in all of his life. He'd thought getting the story from Miyata-kun would relieve his curiosity; instead, it merely peaked it. He was halfway down the long alleyway, when someone else called out to him.

"Heyyyy! Makunouchi!"

Ippo paused and glanced over his shoulder. Sendo was jogging up to him, his brow creased in a scowl. The boy stopped beside him and tilted his head to the side.

"I thought ya wanted me ta come over?"

Ippo studied the brunet's handsome face. He took in every little detail: the sharp eyebrows, the piercing brown eyes, the wild brown hair. Sendo had a nice mouth. His lips were full, and his nose was straight. Even the scars on his face didn't take away from his attractiveness. Ippo swallowed and forced his eyes to the ground.

_Attractiveness?_

Sendo put a hand on Ippo's shoulder, and everything went warm and cold at the same time. Was Miyata-kun telling the truth about the brunet?

"Hey, Makunouchi." Sendo's voice was a deep tenor that raised the hairs on Ippo's arms. "You don' look too good. Ev'rythin' alright?"

"I..." Ippo said, but his voice came out as an uncertain whisper. Like he didn't trust it to get his point across. "I just..."

Sendo chuckled, the sound reverberating through Ippo like a basketball in an empty gym.

" _That_ again? Tell me what's on yer mind."

Ippo finally dragged his eyes from the ground and settled them on the rough boy before him. Sendo's eyes were intense even though he was smiling. A rich, creamy brown. Ippo shook his head.

"I don't think we should be friends anymore."

He didn't even wait for the taller boy's response before he took off running towards his home.

XOXOXO

_What the fuck just happened?_

All semblance of amusement disappeared from Sendo's face as though someone had wiped a chalkboard clean.

_Just...what the hell?_

He couldn't even yell out, he was so stunned. He'd thought Makunouchi was just being his usual, timid self, but boy, had he been wrong, wrong, _wrong_. He didn't understand what could have made Makunouchi do a complete one-eighty in such a short amount of time. Whatever it was...

 _Wait_ , he thought. _Didn't I see Miyata talking to him just a minute ago?_

His upper lip curled back on its own as anger surged within him. That was it. He was going to beat the dirty hell out of that rich creep, come Hell or high water. Miyata had to have said something to spook Makunouchi into not wanting to be friends with him anymore. That _had_ to be it. It was the only thing that made sense. How else could the shorter, dark-haired boy have gone from eager and friendly to withdrawn and distant?

He was so pissed, his heartbeat thumped behind his eyes. He stomped back in the direction of the school, where he'd last seen Miyata. That jerk's time was _up_. Sendo had tried being tolerant, just for Makunouchi's sake, but since the boy didn't even want to talk to him anymore, all of that went out of the fucking window. He crossed the street, and as soon as he passed the stone partition separating the sidewalk from the school grounds, he spotted Miyata. The snob had an unmistakable walk.

Sendo stormed right up to the boy and shoved him hard from behind. Miyata lurched forward, tripped, then whirled around, fight in his eyes. That was exactly what Sendo wanted to see.

" _You fucking dick_!" he enunciated, abnormally sharp canines bared. "I should kill you right now."

At first, Miyata had just seemed angry and surprised, but once he recognized Sendo, his features settled into something smug and altogether infuriating.

"Aww," the dark-haired boy crooned as he straightened his uniform. "The little baby's upset. You know, this is so typical Sendo. Can't get your way, so you gotta beat up everyone in sight."

Sendo was seeing red. He really wanted to murder Miyata. His hands were balled into tight fists at his sides as he tried to calm down. If he fought Miyata in this condition, there would be nothing left as evidence but a bloody smear on the pavement.

"What did you say to him?" he growled.

Miyata shook his head and pushed his hair off of his forehead. "I told him the truth; that you're nothing but a manipulative asshole."

He couldn't breathe. Every last one of his instincts was screaming for him to rip into Miyata and tear his ass to shreds.

"What? Gonna hit me again?"

Sendo twitched. "Hell, yes."

Miyata gave an elegant snort. "Gorilla. Just like I said. Do you think I forgot the way you treated me?"

Sendo's scowl slackened into a shocked expression. What?

"What the fuck're you talkin' about, Miyata?"

"You _knew_!" Miyata hissed. "You _knew_ I liked the Gregory boy, but you just _had_ to kiss him anyway!"

Sendo stared in disbelief for a few beats before he tilted his head back and cackled. The cackle turned into an outright roaring. Miyata, meanwhile, looked like someone had stuck a lemon in his mouth.

"What's so funny?" he snapped.

When Sendo could calm down, he glared at Miyata. "You fuckin' dumbass. Ya do realize that was jus' a stupid dare, right? I ain't like that guy! But I don' back down from a challenge, either."

"Stop lying!"

"No, no. Now that's def'nit'ly somethin' I _don'_ do, Miyata. You know that."

"I don't believe you! You did it right in front of me like you were trying to spite me!"

Sendo shook his head. He seriously couldn't believe Miyata had gone and ruined his chances with Makunouchi over something so damned _stupid_. A fucking misunderstanding.

"I had ta do it in front'a ev'rybody, idiot!"

The following silence was almost comical. They stared like they'd never seen one another before. Sendo still wanted to kill Miyata. His blood was boiling, and his heart was still racing. All of this... _all of this_...and for what? Because Miyata held a stupid grudge?

"Why did you kiss me, then?" Miyata asked out of the blue.

Sendo blinked. "I was a kid. I thought ya were cute. No big deal."

"And that was it?"

"Yeah."

"And you _weren't_ trying to sabotage my chances with Arnie?"

"No, jackass."

Miyata frowned and thinned his lips. Sendo didn't give a shit about the guy's sudden attack of guilt, which is what it had to be, if the look on Miyata's face was any indication. Sendo just wanted to beat the shit out of him.

"Yo! I thought ya had a date!"

Sendo's eyes went round as he turned to the new voice. "What the hell're you doin' here, Old Man?"

Randy grinned as he sauntered over. The glint in his eye told Sendo that Randy was more than aware of the dangerous atmosphere, but the smile on his face said that he didn't give a rat's ass about it either.

"I came lookin' fer mah new friend," he drawled.

Sendo frowned as he looked back and forth between his best friend and his worst nightmare. Hold on a second. Randy seemed a little too serious about what he'd just said.

"Friend?" Sendo parroted.

Randy glanced at him before giving Miyata his full attention. "Yeah. You heard me. Know I didn' _stutter_."

"Shut up. I jus' asked a question."

"An' so did I. Why aren't ya on yer way ta yer date's house? What'd you do?"

Sendo bristled and drew himself up to his full height. "I didn' do nothin'! Thanks ta the little prick yer callin' yer friend, Makunouchi don' wanna talk ta me anymore."

Randy's dark eyes went even darker as a frown tugged at the corners of his mouth. He stepped closer to Miyata, making Miyata scowl up at him. He looked like he wanted to back up and put as much space as possible between himself and Randy. Randy didn't give him the chance. Sendo smirked as he watched his friend intimidate the hell out of Miyata.

"Now why'd you go an' do a thing like that?" Randy said quietly as he stood over the rich Preppy. Sendo didn't even feel an ounce of remorse. "I thought we had an agreement?"

Sendo frowned at that. He opened his mouth to ask Randy what he meant by that, but Randy gave him an irritated look over his shoulder.

"Don'cha got somewhere ta be, Sendo?"

He wanted to argue, but Randy had a point. Knowing that he could counter anything Miyata had said to Makunouchi because it was a blatant lie, he nodded and took off in the opposite direction. Before he was completely out of earshot, he called over his own shoulder, "Thanks, Old Man! I owe ya one!"

"More like fifty, but who's countin'?" Randy shouted back.

Sendo grinned and ran off in the direction of Makunouchi's house. The location was easy to remember, so it wouldn't be long before he could persuade the kid not to cut him off.

XOXOXO

He was so distracted. He was in his room, his futon pulled to the corner nearest the window, and his back against the wall. His knees were up against his chest, his arms around his legs. His blinds were closed tight. He couldn't get it together. His mind felt like a spinning top. He honestly hadn't meant to tell Sendo that he didn't want to be his friend anymore; it'd just jumped out of his mouth before he could stop it. Now, he was huddled in his room like a refugee, afraid to face the light of day.

A knock sounded at his door. He shot a nervous glance towards it, but otherwise said nothing.

"Ippo!" his mother called. "Ippo, are you OK?"

He didn't want to move; didn't want to speak or anything.

His door slid aside, and the light from the hallway spilled onto the floor in his room. His mother's head poked past the frame as she peered in at him.

"Ippo, why are you in the dark? Are you sure everything is alright?"

He nodded stiffly without raising his head or looking in her direction. "I'm not feeling well."

"Oh, no. Do you need anything? You should stay here and lie down. Don't worry about the evening run; I can take care of it."

He barely heard her. He supposed when she realized that he wasn't going to say anything, she quietly closed the door, pitching the room into darkness once more.

What was he going to do? He'd never felt so guilty in his life. He didn't have a mean bone in his body, but earlier, he'd said such a cruel thing to Sendo, who was only trying to be his friend. And now, his mother needed his help with the fishing boats, but he couldn't even function. His brain was fried; or better yet, mush. He couldn't concentrate on anything except how he wanted to tell Sendo that he'd changed his mind about not being friends with him. So what if he'd kissed Miyata-kun? So what if he liked boys? None of that mattered. What _did_ was how much effort the brunet put forth to prove to Ippo that he wasn't just a delinquent.

"Ack!" he noised as he covered his face with his hands. "What am I going to do?"

He would look like such a fool if he went back to Sendo and told him he'd changed his mind. The brunet probably hated his guts right now. The thought alone made his stomach drop before clenching unmercifully. He didn't want Sendo's wrath pointed at him. He really didn't, but he also didn't know how to go about fixing the mess he'd gotten himself into.

And then, there was the fact that he just couldn't get Sendo's features out of his head. He kept seeing them: the brown eyes that were so vivid, the wild, sable brown hair that seemed impossible to tame... And of course there was Sendo's solid and brawny build. He was taller than Ippo, his shoulders a little broader.

Ippo blushed.

"What am I thinking?" he whispered, utterly shocked and confused. "S-Sendo is a boy."

 _Not so. He's very much a young man_.

Ippo's heart started pounding and his hands shook so badly, he had to sit on them to keep them still. He didn't understand what was going on with him. He wanted to, but he didn't have anyone he could talk to about his dilemma. Miyata-kun was out of the question, Volg didn't seem to like Sendo very much either, and Ippo was sure that Umezawa-san and Kobashi-san wouldn't have the slightest idea how to give him proper advice.

What a predicament.

He was still wallowing in his guilt and confusion when loud, harsh knocking scared him out of his emotional cave.

"What in the world?" he mumbled as he stared at his bedroom door. "Mom didn't forget anything, did she?"

He glanced at the clock on his desk and shook his head. Couldn't be. His mom should be on the boat by now. Then, who could be knocking on his front door like they were trying to break it down? He finally extracted himself from his pitiful position in the corner of his dark room and went to answer the door. The banging resumed as he neared, almost scaring him to death.

"One second!" he yelled, hoping his voice would make the person on the other side of the door quit making such a racket.

It worked. For two seconds. Then, it started back up.

"I'm coming! I'm coming!"

Ippo snatched open the door, prepared to at least glare at whoever was dying to get inside of his home, when the sight of Sendo floored him and left him totally speechless. Sendo's brown eyes were on fire, narrowed and hard. They glinted like brown marbles in the sun, and it made Ippo incredibly anxious.

"So, what? Ya not gonna explain why ya jus' suddenly don' wanna be friends wit' me no more?" the taller boy snapped.

Ippo still couldn't say anything. Even though Sendo looked terrifying, all Ippo could think was how _good_ he looked as well. His brown hair was falling into his eyes, wild, just like the teen himself. His body seemed to take up the entire doorway, but of course that was only Ippo's imagination. What was _wrong_ with him?

"U-um...um..."

"Fuckin' cat got yer tongue again?" Sendo growled, and Ippo unconsciously closed his eyes, relishing the sound.

He was so embarrassed by his behavior that he almost shut the door in Sendo's face. Why did this teen's presence make him so antsy? Why did all thought seem to leave him whenever Sendo was around? It was really frustrating.

"Well, look, Makunouchi," Sendo started, hands gripping both sides of the door frame. "I ain't gonna jus' let ya get away wit' sayin' somethin' like that an' runnin' off. I got a right ta have my say too. An' I got a right ta know why ya changed yer mind all of a sudden."

Ippo nodded slowly. He was absolutely right. Ippo at least owed him an explanation. Problem was: he had no clue how to do that. He wanted to apologize. He wanted Sendo to give him that sideways smirk that he always wore whenever he seemed to speak to him.

"I-I'm sorry, Sendo. I didn't mean to say that. It's just that...M-Miyata-kun told me...he said that you...that you kissed him and that you kissed a lot of other guys and that you were a predator and-"

"Whoa, whoa! Jesus Christ, Makunouchi, breathe," Sendo interrupted, his hands coming forward to grasp each of Ippo's shoulders. Ippo stared into the other boy's brown eyes and took deep, even breaths. "Yeah, that's better. Now, tell me what happened."

"Miyata-kun told me that you two kissed as kids, and then, he told me you went behind his back and kissed a lot of other boys. He thought you guys liked each other, but when you kissed other boys, he realized that you didn't. I-I, I just didn't want..."

Sendo held up a hand, anger racing across his face like a streak of lightning. "First off, Miyata didn' give ya the whole truth. Yeah, I kissed him. But we were kids back then. I didn' know how ta control myself. Plus, Miyata wasn' exac'ly all warm an' fuzzy, ya know? Then, I got a dare ta kiss this other guy. I don' back down from challenges, Makunouchi. That's one thing yer gonna learn about me. So, I did the dare. I didn' know Miyata was crushin' on the guy I hadda kiss. He held a grudge fer that, an' that's why every time I came aroun', he made me out ta be the bad guy."

Ippo was rooted to the spot, unable to close his mouth. He was so surprised. Miyata-kun had never lied to him before. Why would he start now? All because he didn't like Sendo? But Sendo had said that he didn't know that Miyata-kun had had a crush on the guy Sendo had kissed. Maybe that meant that Miyata-kun, in turn, hadn't known about the dare.

"So, it was all a big mix-up?" Ippo asked, voice timid.

"Yeah. That's 'zactly what it was. So...there ain't no reason fer you not ta be friends wit' me."

For the first time since earlier that day, Ippo smiled, relieved. He really wanted to be friends with Sendo. Never mind what he felt whenever he was around the older boy; he just wanted more of it.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Hajime no Ippo...

Onwards...

XOXOXO

Sendo was tempted – oh, so tempted – to gather his new buddy up in his arms and kiss him until he couldn't figure out which way was up. But that might not be such a good idea, so he controlled himself. Barely. Makunouchi kept grinning up a storm as they hung out in the guy's immaculate room. It was making Sendo restless. He wasn't used to courting anyone, and especially not someone who hardly seemed interested in the same sex in _that_ way. Makunouchi had innocence and naivety slipping out of his pores; there was no way that Sendo could make a move on the kid without scarring him for life.

Though...

There _was_ that time Sendo had walked Makunouchi home. When he'd gotten closer to him, he'd noticed Makunouchi's adorable blush. Romantically oblivious people didn't blush...did they? Sendo wanted to hang his head and pull his hair. He felt himself being too careful around Makunouchi, and all because he didn't want the boy to stop talking to him. What was he to do?

Normally, he just went in for the kill. Sendo glanced at Makunouchi, who was rambling on about a manga collection his pop had left him before he'd passed. Gray eyes were wide and lively, glinting with so much enthusiasm; full lips were upturned in one of the biggest smiles Sendo had ever witnessed in his life; and naturally toned muscles moved with more energy than Sendo knew what to do with. He smirked.

Nah...he was lying. He knew exactly what he'd do with all of Makunouchi's energy and none of it was of the innocent variety.

He must have been silent for a little too long because when he came out of his thoughts, Makunouchi was looking at him, eyes big and curious.

"Is everything alright, Sendo-sa – I mean Sendo?"

Sendo decided to give Makunouchi his full attention. Not only was it better for his sanity, but it eased his restless libido that insisted on picturing Makunouchi in every dirty position his mind could conjure. So, he gave an inward sigh and nodded.

"I'm good. Jus' list'nin'. You were sayin' somethin' 'bout manga, right?"

Makunouchi smirked as if he knew that Sendo had been in la-la land and didn't mind one bit. That look...that look _right there_ was enough to send Sendo's self-control hurtling over a severely slippery slope.

"You want to talk about something else, Sendo?"

See, what Sendo _wanted_ to talk about couldn't possibly be deemed appropriate, so he averted his eyes and pretended to be exasperated with his new friend. Somehow though, his blunt nature interfered and made him tread along thin ice.

"Yeah. Kinda."

Makunouchi looked embarrassed for a fraction of a second before nodding, which was surprising. Normally, the Preppy spent long minutes wallowing in self-induced mortification, and only the threat of violence brought him out of it.

"OK. What did you have in mind?"

There was no way in fiery hell he could answer that question truthfully, so he lied...just a little.

"Why'd you agree ta bein' my friend, Makunouchi?"

"Ummm...well...you didn't seem like the monster everyone tried to claim you were. Plus, I like to give everyone a fair chance."

 _Of course_ , Makunouchi would have a diplomatic answer like that. Sendo hadn't been looking for a general kind of response; he'd wanted a more personal assessment. But meh, he'd settle for this for now. If he demanded more, Makunouchi would shrink into a ball of insecurity and embarrassment that would probably be impossible to draw him out of. Not really worth the hassle at the moment.

"I see," he rumbled.

He was distracted with his own thoughts as he rubbed his chin and stared in the direction of the wall, eyes unfocused. Makunouchi had drawn his interest simply because he was so naïve and innocent, not to mention, the kid couldn't stay out of trouble to save his life. But it was more than that, too. Makunouchi had eyes that were fucking hypnotic, and his smile was to die for. It lit up whatever space he occupied at the time, like a lighthouse guiding a wayward ship to shore. It was almost eerie how profoundly the other teen affected Sendo – without even realizing it, at that.

He sighed and absently shrugged out of his uniform jacket, mind still on the mystery that was Makunouchi. So, when he happened to glance at the dark-haired teen, mid-toss, the open look of admiration in those large, gray eyes, floored him. Sendo gave his torso a small, confused frown before turning back to Makunouchi. Was he imagining it? After a brief moment of assessment (something he prided himself on), he came to the conclusion that Makunouchi was looking at him in a not-all-the-way-straight manner. But...it also seemed like Makunouchi didn't realize it. Perhaps the Preppy was unaware of his preference. Maybe he didn't even _have_ a preference. Makunouchi _had_ mentioned that he didn't have a girlfriend.

Sendo felt hope welling within him the longer he pondered the situation. His eyes sharpened on Makunouchi's face, honed in on the way the shorter boy spaced out, focus directed at Sendo's arms under the black, short-sleeved tee he wore under his uniform. It was interesting and flattering and a whole bunch of other things Sendo was trying not to get his hopes up about. Makunouchi wasn't helping though!

"Makunouchi." He'd meant for his voice to sound normal, but instead, what came out was a throaty husk that jolted even him.

Makunouchi's eyes pulled away from Sendo's arms and shoulders in a way that Sendo could only describe as reluctant. When their gazes met, Sendo fought a valiant, inner battle that his conscious mind just barely won. The other, more primal side of himself wanted to push Makunouchi down on his futon and do things the boy probably never imagined. Makunouchi was giving him bedroom eyes, but the kicker was...the kid more than likely didn't even know it.

"Hm?" Makunouchi hummed, usually cheerful tenor a low, vibrating something else that drove Sendo a tiny bit crazy. "Did you say something, Sendo?"

 _Fuck this_.

Sendo hopped to his feet, panic resting at the back of his tongue as he looked around the room, eyes wild as his hair. "Bathroom!" he blurted. "I need the bathroom."

His hasty movement seemed to shake Makunouchi out of whatever fantasy he'd been engrossed in, gray eyes brightening with awareness and...yep, there it was: embarrassment.

He avoided Sendo's eyes and pointed at the door as he stuttered, "I-It's down the hall."

Sendo wasted no time fleeing the room and heading for the safety of the bathroom, where he could close and lock the door behind himself. Maybe work out some frustration.

Makunouchi was going to kill him at this rate.

XOXOXO

Ippo stared at his floor, eyes wide with disbelief and a breathtaking amount of mortification. What had he been doing? Just _what_ _on Earth_ had he been doing? His heart was pounding so fast and hard, it felt like he was having a heart attack. Just the day before, Ippo had imagined a similar scenario as Volg had been removing his own t-shirt. Watching _the_ Sendo Takeshi strip down to his undershirt in _Ippo's_ room, on _Ippo's_ futon...it was overwhelming beyond description.

Not only were Sendo's arms muscular and cut in amazing ways, but he smelled really nice. Like the outdoors and a fresh-smelling soap. Ippo tried breathing slowly, but Sendo's uniform jacket was still on the futon, and it's scent filled the room effortlessly, as if Ippo's presence didn't even exist. What was going on? It was like his body wasn't listening to him anymore. Actually, it was more like nothing made sense anymore. All he knew was when it came to Sendo, he felt a powerful pull towards him, and it was terrifying.

Thank god for Sendo's abrupt manner. If the brunet hadn't jumped up and exclaimed his need for the bathroom, Ippo probably would have still been ogling the other teen's chest and spectacular arms and broad shoulders and whattheheckwashethinking?

He blew out a forceful sigh that was closer to a helpless sob as he covered his face with his hands. Perhaps it was time to face this music. His body, hell, even his mind appeared to have a life all its own, and maybe that in itself was a sign. He was drawn to Sendo like a worm to moist dirt, and clearly, he didn't mind looking at the brunet. Or when Sendo touched him, which he did a lot. Whether it was a harmless arm around the shoulders or a hair ruffle, the older boy always found a way to initiate physical contact. And what should have been disturbing but wasn't, was the blatant fact that...he liked it. He enjoyed it when Sendo touched him, when Sendo smiled at him, when Sendo just looked at him. All of it tended to electrify his nerves and lean in for more. How embarrassing was that?!

Just as he was descending into a pit of humiliated-no-return, Sendo came back into the room. His black shirt had come untucked from his uniform pants, but the material hugged his torso like it loved him. Ippo gulped as he watched his new friend meander over to the futon, seemingly unaffected by the enormous tension in the room.

So...what did all of this mean? Did he like Sendo? Of course, he _liked_ Sendo. Sendo was his _friend_. He looked up timidly, only to find Sendo's piercing brown eyes fixed on his face. Except...they weren't so piercing at the moment. They were direct, resigned...determined.

"Makunouchi," Sendo rumbled, his voice like something warm and gooey.

Ippo barely suppressed a shudder as he swallowed and hummed a response. Words were so far from forthcoming, it was almost madness. All he could do was stare back at Sendo and wonder what the other teen was up to.

Sendo slid closer on the floor, his weight resting on his knees. "I gotta tell ya somethin'."

"O-OK."

Miracle of all miracles, he was capable of speech after all. He watched Sendo edge even closer, but that was a minor thing compared to the expression on Sendo's face, the almost predatory look in his rich, brown eyes. Finally, there was no more room to move unless Sendo wanted to take up space in Ippo's lap...

A warm, rough hand settled on the side of Ippo's face. He couldn't have been more shocked if a dog had flown through his bedroom window. He blinked, lips parted on words that refused to come and air that refused to leave. Sendo's face was so close!

"I can't hide it anymore," the brunet murmured, eyes at half mast. "It's killin' me, so I gotta tell ya."

He still couldn't speak. Finally, Sendo brushed his nose against Ippo's and a smirk tilted the corner of his mouth.

"I think..." he started, pausing to lock eyes.

Ippo couldn't help it. He lowered his eyes to Sendo's full lips as he licked his own. "Yeah?" he croaked.

Sendo's smirk widened enough to put his dangerous-looking canines on display. "I think I broke yer toilet."

Ippo's breath left him in a rush as he slowly came down from whatever adrenaline induced anxiety trip he'd been on, only to realize exactly what Sendo had said.

"You...what? The toilet?"

He was so confused, he felt like his brain had exited the premises. He stared into Sendo's now amused eyes, trying to figure out where dream had crossed with reality. Had he imagined the open want, the tangible lust in Sendo's eyes?

"I don't understand."

Sendo's grin had reached its limit, stretching almost to his sideburns. "Not yet, but ya will."

**XxxxxxX**

Ippo couldn't put his finger on it, but there was something distinctly different about Sendo after his trip to the bathroom. He watched as the brunet reclined on his back on Ippo's futon, thick arms behind his head, and whiskey brown eyes almost glowing in the moonlight filtering through the window that Sendo had thrown open hours ago.

"Hey, Makunouchi."

Ippo swallowed a little harshly as he carefully gave the older boy his full attention. "Y-yes?"

"How come ya won't tell me why ya don't have a girlfriend?"

He immediately shrank into himself. Why was it that Sendo just couldn't leave that topic alone? The brunet was like a bloodhound on a scent.

"Sendo, I already said-"

"I know whatcha said," Sendo drawled as he lazily rolled onto his side to face Ippo, supporting his head with his right hand. "And whatcha said didn't tell me a damned thing."

Which was true, but it was only because he was embarrassed. How could he tell his new friend that he was a buffoon around cute girls? How could he tell someone who probably had no problems getting dates – but wait – Sendo didn't even date girls. Ippo almost whimpered as he realized he had no basis for comparison. He was more than likely an enigma – a teenage boy who still hadn't even had his first kiss because he was too shy and insecure to ask a girl out. He sighed. Sendo would laugh at him forever.

"Jus' spit it out already, Makunouchi. I ain't gonna change my mind, an' I ain't gonna ferget, either," Sendo continued in that low, almost bored tone.

However, the look in his eyes was anything but bored.

"So, spill."

Ippo tried to disguise the panic he felt rising up his throat at an alarming rate, but he failed. He had nowhere to run, no way to divert Sendo from his determined path, and the desperation he felt was clearly showing on his face if Sendo's expression was anything to judge by. The brunet arched a sharp brow before smirking and rolling gracefully into an Indian-styled sitting position.

"Yer not gonna barf, are ya, Makunouchi?"

Sendo was teasing, and it drew a reluctant glare from Ippo, but after that, he was right back to inwardly losing his mind. _Oh, to hell with it_ , he thought. If Sendo stopped wanting to be his friend because he was a virgin at...well... _everything_...then that was the brunet's problem.

"This is embarrassing, Sendo-saaaannn," he whined, forgetting his promise to drop the honorifics as he covered his burning face with both hands.

He remained that way, eyes clenched shut against the scrutinizing gaze he just knew the older boy was sending his way. However, after a few beats of silence, Sendo chuckled, and Ippo heard the faint rustling of cloth that signaled movement from the brunet. Not even five seconds later, Sendo's intoxicating scent wafted into Ippo's personal space, involuntarily relaxing his shoulders and making his eyes roll behind his closed lids.

Even though Sendo's hands were big and rough and calloused, they were still gentle as they gripped Ippo's wrists and coaxed him into revealing his face. Ippo was too mortified to look Sendo in the eye, so when he did lower his hands, he averted his gaze, looking anywhere but at the brunet.

"Makunouchi, now I'm really curious, ya know?"

Sendo's voice was a sultry murmur that Ippo was certain was the boy's natural timbre. It always seemed to make his hair stand up, make his stomach turn into warm goo. He licked his lips and shyly met Sendo's imploring, brown eyes.

"I don't ask girls out because I wouldn't know what to do after."

Sendo's head tilted to the side like a puppy's. "What d'ya mean?"

And now for the embarrassing part. "L-like k-kissing and s-stuff."

Sendo didn't say anything, so Ippo forged on, the small confession opening the flood gates. "I don't know how to talk to girls, either. I get tongue-tied and end up looking ridiculous. A-and my mom usually needs my help with the boat, so I'm busy with that too."

Still Sendo didn't say a word, but his eyes were drilling holes into Ippo's face. He swore he could feel the skin and flesh stripping away as his tongue loosened and loosened. He wondered what was on the other boy's mind. Was he disgusted? Was he going to laugh?

"So yer sayin' yer a virgin."

Ippo swallowed, nodding slowly. He might as well go all the way.

"Not even kissin'."

Ippo knew it was probably meant to be a question, but the way Sendo had said it, it came out as more of a statement. A disbelieving statement, but a statement all the same. Again, he nodded, but his body had gone rigid with terrified anticipation. How would Sendo react to the news? What would he say? Ippo wanted to fidget, but his limbs wouldn't move. It seemed the only thing that was still in working order was his heart, and that was beating triple-time.

Finally, after what felt like a small eternity, Sendo leaned back on his haunches and blew out a breath, running one of his large hands through his soft-looking, unruly hair. His eyes had dropped to the floor, as if he was studying the space between them, but just as quickly, they were back on Ippo's face and filled with a special kind of gleam.

"Why didn'tcha jus' say that before?"

Ippo's face twisted with confusion. "Eh?"

"Everybody starts out as a virgin, Makunouchi. That ain't nothin' ta be ashamed about."

"B-but...but I'm-"

"Some people start later than others. Don't mean nothin'."

Sendo was so calm! In fact, he didn't even seem to _care_! Ippo watched, mouth hanging open, as Sendo reclined on the futon once more, arms going back behind his head. His brown eyes settled on the ceiling as he gave a small, sideways grin.

"I think that's kinda cute, actually."

Ippo didn't know what to say to that, but he lowered his gaze to the floor, a quiet smile doing absolutely nothing to quell the burning in his face, neck and ears.

XOXOXO

A loud vibrating woke him from what was quite possibly the best sleep he'd ever had in his life. Drool slid from the corner of his mouth and dried saliva stuck to his cheek as he groped for his jacket. After a few moments of blind reaching, his fingers snagged a button and he dragged the clothing over, eyes still glued shut. He dug into the inner pocket and pulled out his cell phone, flipping it open without even looking at the readout.

"Unh," he grunted.

"So, uh...I take it things went well?"

That voice.

"Old Man?" he croaked.

Randy's deep chuckle floated over the line. "Are you drunk er somethin'?"

Sendo tried to roll onto his side, but awareness was slowly catching up to him, and he realized there was an immovable pressure on his chest and against his side. His legs were pinned to the floor as well.

"I'm startin' ta think so," he slurred, wiping his mouth.

Groggily, he blinked, once, twice, three times before his vision cleared and focused on a somewhat familiar ceiling. Frowning, he looked down at what was keeping him from moving the way he wanted, and his breath caught in his chest, choking to a complete stop.

Dark, spiky hair tickled his chin as he stared in utter shock at Makunouchi sleeping on his chest. Makunouchi's head rested on his chest, his cheek pressed to Sendo's clavicle, and his right hand was curled loosely against Sendo's stomach. Sendo's face erupted with heat as he continued to take in the sight before him. Makunouchi's body was curved into his side, his legs tangled with Sendo's, and his breathing was deep and even, clearly a sign of uninterrupted slumber.

"Yo, ya sound like yer dyin'."

Sendo suddenly remembered that he was holding his cell phone and that Randy was on the other line. ...But he still couldn't _fucking_ breathe. Nor did he want to. He was afraid that if he made a single wrong move, Makunouchi would wake up and start flailing with embarrassment, ultimately taking that comforting warmth away. Sendo wanted that like he wanted genital herpes.

"Call ya back," he finally blurted before snapping the phone shut and tossing it aside. He didn't even care where it landed.

The moon was round and bright, and it shone into the room like a lamp, illuminating everything. Sendo took small breaths through his nose as he stared down at something he'd never imagined actually happening. Well, not outside of his dreams, anyway.

Makunouchi had on a white t-shirt and blue and green plaid pajama pants, the cotton of the clothing worn down to that soft, favorite-clothes-ever kind of material. And he smelled _amazing_. Sendo allowed himself a moment of Nirvana by settling his right arm across Makunouchi's back, his hand cupping the boy's strong, upper arm. His fingers traced the skin there, movements lazy and idle as he closed his eyes. He wanted this all the time. He wanted this for the rest of his life, hell. He snuggled closer, burying his face in Makunouchi's surprisingly soft hair and breathed in the shorter boy's smell like he was standing outside of a bakery.

 _This must be what heaven is like_ , he thought.

And then...it got better.

Makunouchi's leg twitched, and suddenly, he was wrapping around Sendo like an octopus tentacle. The hand on Sendo's chest curled over his left side, gripping the exposed skin there, and Makunouchi's body glued itself to Sendo's right side. He had literally become a barnacle. The dark-haired teen smacked his lips and smiled, his voice murmuring a quiet, "Sendo-san."

Sendo choked again. He was barely hanging onto his sanity as it was, but hearing the soft way Makunouchi said his name _in his sleep_...it was absolutely too much. In one swift movement, Sendo rolled Makunouchi onto his back, not even caring if it woke him. Which, of course, it did. Makunouchi's eyes blinked open slowly, surprise coloring his features as he found Sendo's face in the moonlight.

"S-Sendo?"

Fucking hell, his voice was downright sinful with sleep clinging to it like dryer lint. Sendo stared down at his new friend. He'd scolded himself multiple times, persuaded his inner predator not to leap on numerous occasions, but this time...he just couldn't hold back. Makunouchi was too fucking tempting, lying on his back, his shirt riding up and revealing hard abs and soft-looking, pale skin. His hair was tousled, his lips were full, and his big, gray eyes were hooded. He looked like he'd been thoroughly debauched. A muscle in Sendo's jaw jumped as he ground his teeth together. God help him, but he couldn't stop his body from reacting.

"Makunouchi, you fucker," he growled before lowering his head and covering Makunouchi's lips with his own.

Makunouchi's hands shot up between their bodies, pushing against Sendo's chest, but there was practically no force behind them. As a matter of fact, they relaxed the longer Sendo kissed him. Smug satisfaction washed over him like a tidal wave when Makunouchi slowly let his eyes flutter closed on a quiet sigh. Seeing that, Sendo allowed his eyes to shut as well, engrossing himself in something he figured was just a figment of his overactive imagination. Resting his weight on his elbows, he tilted his head to the side and licked Makunouchi's bottom lip before tugging it between his teeth.

The noise Makunouchi made was not one borne from virgins. Or at least not the virgins Sendo had deflowered. The shorter boy's hands curled over Sendo's shoulders, gripping tightly before one slid into the hair at the nape of his neck. Sendo shuddered and pried Makunouchi's lips apart, determined to show him just how wonderful kissing could be.

When he finally got a taste of Makunouchi's tongue, his gut morphed into a forge, lit with what felt like the blue flames of hell. He wanted to grind their hips together, creating friction in that final destination, but at the last second figured maybe Makunouchi wasn't ready for that. Shit, but it was hard.

Literally.

But all of his control flew out of the window when Makunouchi arched into him and fucking _whimpered_. Not only that, but Makunouchi appeared to be a fast learner because he was mirroring the things Sendo did with his lips and tongue, and man, was it creating havoc below the waist. Sendo assumed his breaking point came when Makunouchi pulled out of the kiss with a low hiss and Sendo's name in one breath.

"Oh my fuckin' god," he groaned, his hips lowering and rolling against Makunouchi's of their own accord.

He couldn't stop himself even if he really, really wanted to. He'd never wanted someone so badly in his entire life, and Makunouchi was like putty in his fucking hands. Heat rushed straight to his groin, and he _almost_ moaned until the sound that spilled out of Makunouchi choked the breath right out of him... _again_.

XOXOXO

They'd fallen asleep in the middle of a conversation. One minute, Ippo was telling Sendo about his family's fishing boat business, and the next, he was passed out on the futon beside Sendo. Which was why he didn't exactly understand how he'd ended up under the bigger teen, kissing him like his life depended on it, like he'd been doing it all his life.

However they had ended up in this predicament, it didn't seem to matter because it felt absolutely amazing. He'd never believed kissing could feel so _good_. In fact, for a while, he'd thought he was dreaming. He'd opened his eyes from a wondrous sleep to find Sendo hovering over him with eyes like he'd never seen before. Had he actually thought that was lust in the other boy's eyes earlier? How wrong he'd been. Before the kissing began, Sendo had been looking at him like he was a winning lottery ticket or better still, like he wanted to completely devour him. While it had been a bit unnerving, it had also been exhilarating.

And then, Sendo had spoken, his voice a deep gravelly rumble that sent shock-waves of pleasure and excitement skittering through Ippo's entire body. His inexperience had kept him from making the first move, but the foreign sensation of lust inspired him to encourage Sendo's kiss. After the initial fear had died down, of course. And there had been a wealth of fear and uncertainty, but that had been overwhelmed by curiosity and desire. He may not have known what to do, but his body was another story altogether. It craved Sendo's touch and kiss, and when the brunet ground their pelvises together, inviting friction against their intimate male parts, it begged for more.

He didn't even recognize his own voice as he moaned and tilted his head back against his pillow. His mouth was open, and his breathing was alternating between gasps and pants. It was frightening, but it was oh so delicious as well. He felt like he was _drowning_. He clung to Sendo's shoulders, his hips meeting Sendo's aggressive movements with timid ones of his own. However, the more they surged together, the more confidence Ippo gained. Especially going by the sounds Sendo made. They were guttural and desperate, and they made Ippo feel power mad.

He leaned up and nipped Sendo's chin, a silent reprimand for pulling his lips away and ending their kiss in order to make those sinful noises. Ippo was torn. While he wanted to kiss Sendo again, he really was enjoying those sounds. The decision was no longer his, though. Sendo pulled back, shifting his weight to his arms as he hovered over Ippo and stared down at him. His pupils were so dilated, the brown was reduced to a mere sliver of a ring, making Sendo's eyes appear black with lust.

"Makunouchi," he murmured.

It was like a dam had burst. Ippo wrapped his arms around Sendo's neck and pressed their lips together. He wanted more of this...whatever _this_ was. It lit his body on fire, made him crazy with feelings he didn't quite understand.

Sendo was taking control of the kiss again, his tongue clearly experienced as it thrust in and out of his mouth in a heady rhythm. Their hips were moving again, and Ippo was almost mortified in realizing that he was hard as steel in his pajama pants. Sendo was faring no better, the presence of his erection grinding against Ippo's. It was too much. He couldn't distinguish one point of pleasure from another, and his heart was pounding so hard, he was certain Sendo could hear it.

"A-ah! Sendo-sa-urgh!"

Sendo was moving faster now. It was like every noise Ippo made spurred the other teen on in a lust-driven frenzy. Ippo wanted to question what was happening. He wanted to question _himself_ the most. Did this mean that he liked boys? Or was it just Sendo that he liked? He didn't know, and honestly, should he even care?

Sendo answered that with his body. He sat back on his heels, pausing everything as he grappled with the button on his uniform pants. Ippo watched with a slight frown, disappointed that he had to wait to feel those liquid sensations, but also anxious. It took a few more seconds, but finally, Sendo freed himself from his pants and boxers, lowering both to his knees in two short movements. Ippo only had time to gulp as he took in the sight of the other boy's erection, standing proud in a nest of dark-brown hair, before Sendo had a grip on Ippo's pajama pants.

He yelped, embarrassed as all get out when his own hardness was exposed to the air. Sendo discarded the pants with a few forceful tugs, then lowered his body again, his hands guiding Ippo's legs apart. When they rubbed together this time, it was like Ippo had died and gone to sex heaven. Sendo was so hot, his skin feverish, his length a hard presence between them.

"Fuck, yes, Makunouchi," he growled, brown eyes so hooded, they were almost closed.

And then, they were kissing again, this time initiated by Sendo. All Ippo could do was hold on for dear life and moan desperately. It felt so good, he didn't know what to do. There was an unknown pressure building between his legs and at his core, like the wind-up before a pitch. And Sendo made the situation that much better by grunting and groaning as he acquired a fluid rhythm that had Ippo gasping for air.

Sendo had Ippo's knees locked in the crooks of his elbows, and his hips had a mind of their own. The noises their bodies made as they came together, erotic and foreign all at the same time. It was making Ippo insane. A strange boldness overcame him, making him tug at the hem of Sendo's t-shirt. He wanted it off so he could see the boy's magnificent chest. He wanted to run his fingers over those strong-looking muscles and that soft, tanned skin. Sendo paused for what seemed like a fraction of a second as he took the hint and shucked the shirt. After that, it was business as usual.

"Ah, god, Makunouchi, ya feel so good."

Ippo was too busy letting his palm glide over Sendo's compact stomach muscles and sinewy chest. It was glorious, just as he'd thought it would be. And you would think he'd be ashamed or even embarrassed by how forward he was being, but everything felt too awesome for him to dredge up a single care.

Suddenly, Sendo upped the force of his thrusts, their erections sliding harder and faster against one another, pre-cum lubricating the way. Frankly, that was all Ippo could take. That pressure he'd mentioned had been at its boiling point for some time now, and hearing Sendo grunt with urgency and desire just tipped Ippo over the edge. His legs tightened around Sendo's torso as he threw his head back and _moaned_. Actually, it sounded more like a sob, but who cared?

"Oh my god, oh my god, _oh my fuckin' god_ ," Sendo chanted before his body tensed and things got a whole lot messier between them.

Ippo was still riding the intense wave of pleasure that had engulfed him a moment ago, so he was unable to do much more than breathe, chest heaving and body trembling. Was that...was that an _orgasm_? If it was, he could see why people were so silly over sex. It was ridiculously amazing.

Sendo collapsed into a boneless heap on top of him, making Ippo chuckle breathlessly as he ran a few fingers through Sendo's slightly sweat dampened, brown hair. After a long few moments, Sendo lifted his head and looked into Ippo's eyes, something strange lingering in his gaze. Ippo tilted his head as he tried to identify the odd look. Before he could, Sendo dipped his head and buried his face in Ippo's neck, a long sigh fluttering against Ippo's flushed skin.

He didn't understand. Hadn't Sendo enjoyed himself? Worry started to creep into his mind as he focused his stare at the ceiling. Had he been bad at it? Was that why Sendo had looked at him like that? He hoped not. He didn't know what this meant for them, but he was really hoping it wouldn't ruin the friendship they'd started. He liked Sendo. And he would be a fool to deny that he liked him in a more than friendly way.

Sendo finally rolled over onto his back, arms splaying out beside him as he too stared up at the ceiling, a small frown gathering between his brows. Ippo was really beginning to grow concerned at, not only the look on Sendo's face, but mostly because of the silence. Sendo was usually anything but quiet, so this was extremely foreign territory for Ippo.

He didn't know what to say.


End file.
